Imagine this: a teacher grabs a pupil and bites his hand. A video like this recently went viral at a Swiss school; the headteacher there is a friend of mine. This assault is unimaginable and unforgivable! However: as shockingly real as the video appeared – in the end, it turned out to be a clever fake, created using AI. The consequences, however, were very real. The video went viral, and the teacher had to take sick leave.
This is just one example among many. In our classrooms, we are increasingly confronted with the consequences of new digital possibilities and the rapid spread of information on social media.
Children need caring, engaged adults who listen, ask questions and agree on clear rules with them.
Whether it is the creation, display or circulation of sexually explicit images of schoolmates using AI, or children becoming trapped in political bubbles on social media, or – in the worst-case scenario – even becoming radicalised as a result.
Opportunities rather than risks
This article is not intended to cause alarm, nor is it meant to condemn young people across the board. On the contrary: the aim is to provide context, raise awareness and consider together the path we wish to take in Switzerland to effectively protect children and young people in an increasingly digital world – without jeopardising their opportunities.
Digital media, particularly social media and games, play a major role in our children's everyday lives. They provide opportunities for interaction, creativity and information. Friendships are formed across geographical distances, like-minded people find one another, and talents come to the fore. Many young people use social media not only for entertainment, but also to find out about current issues or to create their own content.
At the same time, studies are increasingly highlighting the downsides: sleep disorders, concentration problems, cyberbullying and excessive use are real risks. Particularly when content is not age-appropriate or screen time gets out of hand, health and psychosocial pressures can intensify. Simply banning things is not enough. Our children need guidance, support and protection – on several levels.
In light of these rapid developments, the Swiss Teachers’ Association (LCH) adopted a position paper in November 2025 entitled «Responsible Use of Digital Media». In it, the association calls for a three-pronged strategy: empowering parents, compulsory media education in schools, and clear legal safeguards.
Protecting our children is a shared responsibility between parents, schools, politicians and platform operators.
1. Your role as parents
As parents or guardians, you are your children's most important role models – including in the digital world. Your attitude, your own usage habits and your willingness to talk have a significant influence on how your children use smartphones, tablets and games consoles. Children do not need parents who are particularly tech-savvy. They need interested, attentive adults who listen, ask questions and agree clear, understandable rules with them.
As children begin to engage with digital media at a very early age, it is considered sensible for paediatricians, midwives, nurseries, parental advice centres and parents or carers to provide information on age-appropriate use as early as the pre-school years – for example, through leaflets in various languages.
2. Media literacy in schools
Schools also have a role to play. If we are to protect our children, they must be equipped with the right tools. This can be achieved through age-appropriate media education in all schools. Children and young people should be empowered to actively make the most of the opportunities offered by digital spaces and to recognise risks for themselves.
This involves debunking misinformation, understanding how algorithms work, and being aware of the legal implications of sharing images or videos. Media literacy is now as fundamental as reading, writing and arithmetic.
A digital world that opens up new possibilities whilst also recognising its limits is possible. This requires the courage to take responsibility.
The examples outlined at the start show that technological capabilities are advancing at a rapid pace. Deepfakes are becoming increasingly realistic, and content is being disseminated ever more quickly. This makes it all the more important that we, as a society, do not simply play catch-up, but act with foresight. Protecting our children is not a matter of enthusiasm for technology or cultural pessimism. It is a shared responsibility between parents, schools, politicians and platform operators.
If we take children seriously, we empower them not by isolating them, but through guidance, clear rules and a reliable framework. A digital world that offers freedom whilst also setting boundaries is possible. This requires the courage to take responsibility – and a shared commitment not to let our children navigate the digital jungle alone, but to guide them safely through it.
3. Legal safeguards
However, support from schools and parents alone is not enough. Platforms are not neutral playgrounds, but commercially driven systems designed to capture as much attention as possible. That is why we need legally binding age limits for digital media and technically effective age verification that does not undermine data protection.
Platform operators should be required to provide standard safety features: filters for harmful content, limits on usage time and restrictions on risky interactions.
On 3 March 2026, the so-called «Internet Initiative» was launched. It calls for clear rules for technology platforms, search engines and AI systems. The aim is to effectively combat social threats such as child sexual abuse material, sexual violence, radicalisation, cybercrime and disinformation. Platforms are to be held more accountable in order to protect democracy and fundamental rights in the digital space.
Regardless of one's political stance on the initiative, it clearly shows that the debate over binding guidelines in the digital sphere has reached the mainstream – and that is a good thing.
