How dangerous is the internet really?

I was recently given the biographical novel «Stan», which is about the life of comedian Stan Laurel. Hardly anyone could brighten up the dull hours of my childhood as quickly and brilliantly as «Laurel & Hardy». I would probably have finished the 500-page book long ago if I wasn't constantly rummaging the internet for photos of the people mentioned in it. And with the help of a search engine, I can even find the silent films of other, long-forgotten artists mentioned.

Dangers also lurk in the water. If we were to talk to children about swimming like we do about digital media, it would have fatal consequences.

That inspires me! Because I had almost lost sight of the tremendous treasures the Internet has to offer. For me, for other adults with their respective interests, but also for children and young people.

But when it comes to growing up in the digital world, we often only see the bad. It is predominantly problematised. «What to do about cyberbullying?» «Does Instagram cause bulimia?» «Are computer games addictive and aggressive?» «Can carelessly sent nude photos lead to suicide?»

Digital problems know no standstill

To avoid misunderstandings: I don't want to minimise these real dangers. In fact, the internet with its various offers is full of pitfalls and dangers for the growing generation. They constantly present parents and educational professionals with new challenges. That's why I regularly provide information in this column and suggest tried and tested solutions.

For me personally, this remains an exciting task because the digital world never stands still. New, unsettling topics, trends and offers are constantly keeping us on our toes. Nevertheless, I ask myself: where are the positives? And by that I mean first and foremost our attitude.

The negative aspects are very much in the foreground

There is a glaring imbalance when it comes to children and digital media. The negative aspects are in the foreground 80 per cent of the time, the positive 20 per cent. Although I can't prove this assessment scientifically, I can tell from the questions and reactions of the parents I talk to at presentations.

For example, they want to know what the Playstation can do to their 13-year-old son, rather than what skills are promoted by console games. Some parents fear that social media could put girls' heads in a spin, overlooking the fact that the safety of the family nest is what makes this courage to explore and try things out possible in the first place.

We tend to be particularly critical when it comes to digital matters. Possibly because people initially meet technical innovations with scepticism and fear. For example, when the first computers appeared, people initially feared the loss of jobs.

What's more, we adults find it particularly difficult to accept change when it is of a technical nature. So while we usually take a little longer to warm to new achievements, children and young people conquer technical devices with enviable ease and great carefreeness.

Some parents can smile about this and learn from their children. Others perceive this role reversal more as a loss of authority and compensate for it with a particularly critical attitude. Or they rely on educational measures such as bans. But what would happen if we only focussed on the negative aspects of other parenting issues?

A thought experiment

If we were to talk to children about swimming in the same way we talk to them about digital media, it would have fatal consequences. We all know that there are also terrible dangers lurking in the water. After all, small children have died because they stuck their heads in a cleaning bucket full of water. We also know that swimming sleeves and swimming tyres do not offer sufficient protection against drowning. This makes us extremely cautious.

But would we therefore try to keep our children away from water for as long as possible? The opposite is the case: we encourage them to take swimming lessons because the ability to swim can be vital for survival. The earlier children learn to swim, the more safely and fearlessly they can move through the water.

Swimming has a positive connotation in society and offers a wonderful form of self-efficacy. It promotes children's motor skills and strengthens their posture and muscles. Those who are also active in a swimming club can also develop their social skills. And those who jump from the Ten Tower learn to overcome their fears.

Children shut down

A good and healthy approach to the digital world also needs to be learnt. Unfortunately, the internet is not as concrete and tangible as swimming. On the beach, red flags or metre-high waves indicate threatening situations. On the net, the dangers are not so easily recognisable.

Nevertheless, I believe that children have a right to grow up with digital media without fear. That's why we should work on our attitude. Let's realise that anyone who is unsure about digital topics cannot convey a sense of security.

Children have a right to grow up with digital media without fear.

Something can be done about this - media literacy is not only an important tool for adolescents to reduce diffuse fears. If, on the other hand, we talk about gaming, Instagram and mobile phones in a predominantly negative way, our children will shut down. This means we no longer reach them even when it is important.

I'm not asking us to turn our attitude 80:20 in favour, 50:50 would be enough. The computer pioneer Joseph Weizenbaum summarised this dilemma very well: The Internet is a big pile of dung, he said, but with many pearls and treasures in it. That would be a good starting point.