How to surf safely

Playing games, watching videos, surfing the internet - these are often the first activities that children and young people use to explore their online worlds. But what online content is really suitable for children? An overview.

What children experience when they take their first steps online sets the course for their media skills. This also involves dealing with risks. Parents should therefore accompany their children as they grow up with digital media from the very beginning.

Searching and learning are fun

The internet is full of information. Unfortunately, this information is often contradictory and not suitable for children.
What's more, Google shows incriminating content and images for some popular search terms for children. Wikipedia also contains inappropriate content for children, for example on sexual topics. Search engines for children are an age-appropriate alternative: fragfinn.ch, blinde-kuh.ch or helles-koepfchen.ch. And klexikon.ch is a good encyclopaedia for children.

View and produce images and videos

Contributions on YouTube are entertaining, explain facts in a catchy way and sometimes also support learning processes. However, they can also tempt children to keep watching, or even frighten or negatively influence them. You should therefore filter out videos on YouTube with a content warning. In the browser: Safe mode (at the bottom of the page) > On > Save. In apps: Settings > General > Safe mode > Switch on.

Don't let your child use YouTube alone!

But remember: even this is not one hundred per cent protection. Don't let your child use YouTube alone. Show them what they can and should look out for in order to distinguish good sites from bad ones. The Swisscom checklist will also help you with this: You can find it by entering «Swisscom good sites bad sites» in the search field.
It's even more fun if your child gets creative and creates and uploads their own films and photos. Your child will learn how to do this on editorially supervised sites - juki.de (videos) and knipsclub.de (photos), for example.

App games for the little ones

Apps are entertaining and often free - at first. This is because many games soon take money out of players' pockets through in-app purchases. However, you only get virtual and not permanent goods in return.
The ZDFtivi media library shows good films and series for children from the age of four. «Unser Sandmännchen» also offers stories and games for children : play football with the Sandman, listen to a story or watch an episode. And on «Die Maus», your child can interactively discover the world of the mouse. As a parent, you will also receive monthly app recommendations on app-tipps.net.
app recommendations.

Internet on television

Funk" has recently been launched - ZDF and ARD are trying to reach people between the ages of 14 and 29. Forty young «creators» produce videos and audio contributions for social networks - customised for Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and Facebook. The content is bundled on a dedicated website and in an app. It is a wonderful opportunity for parents to immerse themselves in the world of young people. And it offers you topics for discussion with your child.
Image: Swisscom

On Medienstark you will find tips and interactive learning modules for the competent use of digital media in everyday family life.
swisscom.ch/medienstark