Klaus turns 20! The web is changing, the dangers remain.
Ludwigshafen, 08.12.2025 |It's cool, it's funny and it's a wake-up call: the klicksafe spot "Where's Klaus?" on the dangers for children and young people online has been a cult hit since it first went live at the end of 2005. "Where is Klaus?" was developed by the advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather and produced for klicksafe by Neue Sentimental Film AG. It had its TV premiere on German television in 2005 and was also shown in cinemas across Germany under the patronage of former Minister of State for Culture Bernd Neumann. The commercial won the prestigious AME Award at the 2006 New York International Advertising Film Festival. It was translated into 27 languages and broadcast internationally.
Twenty years later, the online dangers to which the commercial draws attention are more relevant than ever. The EU initiative klicksafe is commemorating the anniversary of "Where's Klaus?" with a social media campaign. At the time, the ad was aimed specifically at parents to raise awareness of online risks such as cybergrooming, pornography, extremism and violent games. "At the time, klicksafe wanted the ad to make parents aware of the digital world and its dangers for children and young people," says Deborah Woldemichael, head of the EU initiative klicksafe. The information, guides and teaching materials from klicksafe have since been used millions of times by parents and educational professionals. "Today, we can say that we have achieved a bit more safety through our educational work and media literacy offers. However, there is still a lot to do for a better Internet!" says Woldemichael.
Dr. Marc Jan Eumann, Director of the Rhineland-Palatinate Media Authority, emphasizes: "Children and young people have a right to participate in the media and surf the net safely. However, disturbing content is increasingly flooding our screens. The platforms have a duty to take effective protective measures. Because with great reach comes great responsibility." In the anniversary year of the awareness spot, the Digital Services Act (DSA) obliges platforms in the EU to better protect children and young people. The expert commission "Child and Youth Protection in the Digital World" is developing concrete proposals for action for the effective protection of children and young people online.
The anniversary campaign "Where is Klaus? 2025 reloaded" starts with an updated version of the original and is supplemented by four social media clips in which klicksafe lets young people have their say: Where do they see current problems, how do they deal with them and what do they expect from school, parents, platforms and politics.
The anniversary spot "Where is Klaus? 2025 reloaded" is now available on YouTube.
The social media clips can be found from 10.12.2025 on our klicksafe channels on
Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.
The original spot is available for download at klicksafe.de
About klicksafe
klicksafe is the European Union's nationwide media literacy initiative for more safety online. In Germany, klicksafe is the responsibility of the Rhineland-Palatinate Media Authority. With a wide range of offers, klicksafe supports the confident and critical use of digital media. Educational professionals, parents and interested users can find up-to-date information and materials at klicksafe.de.
klicksafe is politically and economically independent and a coordinating member of the "Safer Internet DE" association(saferinternet.de). In addition to klicksafe as an awareness center, the hotlines internet-beschwerdestelle.de (of eco and FSM) and jugendschutz.net as well as the helpline Nummer gegen Kummer are members of this association.