- 61% call for more leisure activities without digital devices for children and teenagers
- The majority of Germans believe that parents and schools are responsible for teaching media literacy
- eco Association gives 5 tips for the optimal use of digital devices for children and teenagers
This Christmas, many German households will find smartphones, tablets and other digital devices under the Christmas tree. While these gifts open up new digital worlds for children and teenagers, they also increase the responsibility of parents and schools to promote the safe and responsible use of these devices. A recent survey conducted on behalf of eco – Association of the Internet Industry shows that 62.4% of Germans believe that parents and schools should do more to promote media literacy and critical thinking among children in order to prepare them for the challenges of the digital world.
Parents and schools are called upon: Survey shows a need for action in dealing with digital media
The survey, conducted by the market and opinion research institute Civey on behalf of eco, underscores how important protecting children in the digital world is to respondents. 61.9% of respondents called for more intensive education on the safe use of digital devices. 60.1% regard it as crucial that more leisure activities are offered without the use of digital devices as a way of promoting balanced media use. Furthermore, 58.5% are of the opinion that parents and schools should exercise more control over the content that children consume online. 54.8% of respondents also consider the setting of usage and screen times as a necessary measure.
“Especially during the Christmas season, when many parents give their children digital devices such as smartphones or tablets, it becomes clear how crucial it is to support the use of these technologies from the very outset,” explains Alexandra Koch-Skiba, Head of the eco Complaints Office. “The survey results show that parents and schools must play an active role in teaching children how to use digital media safely.”
eco Complaints Office provides 5 tips for optimal use of digital devices for children and teenagers
The eco Complaints Office has been committed for many years to the prevention and education regarding safe use of digital media. “It is not enough just to take technical security precautions. Technical solutions can only ever support and supplement. Equally important – or even more so – is to instil a healthy awareness of the digital world in children and to regularly talk to them about their online experiences,” says Koch-Skiba. To this end, the eco Complaints Office regularly offers workshops and information sessions that provide parents and teachers with specific tips, legal insights and support in handling digital media.
- Accompanied browsing for a safe start: Accompany children when they first go online. For example, child-friendly websites such as www.FragFinn.de provide a safe surfing environment and age-appropriate content.
- Use child-oriented protection software: Install parental control programmes to ensure that children can only access age-appropriate content. You can, for example, find solutions at www.jugendschutzprogramm.de/en/
- Protect personal data: Explain to children how to handle personal data securely. Set up user profiles together, review terms and conditions and create strong, secure passwords.
- Media literacy and legal content usage: Teach children how to use media responsibly and to respect copyrights. Show them how to share images securely and what content should not be posted online in the first place.
- Report violations quickly: Teach older children how to report inappropriate content. The eco Complaints Office assists with the removal of illegal content from the Internet.
The survey was conducted by the market and opinion research institute Civey on behalf of eco – Association of the Internet Industry. 2,501 German citizens of legal age were surveyed between 11 and 12 December 2024. The results are representative, with a statistical error of 3.5%.
eco Complaints Office successfully combats illegal Internet content
For almost 30 years, the eco Complaints Office has been successfully combatting illegal content on the Internet. Every tip counts in the fight against illegal content! If you come across content on the Internet that you consider to be illegal, do not hesitate – report it to the eco Complaints Office.
All important information about the eco Complaints Office and the complaint form are available at eco-complaints-office.
