Which medium is popular with children and young people?

Our daughter wants a smartphone. When will she be old enough for it?

Nowadays, it is unfortunately normal for children of primary school age to have an internet-enabled smartphone. In my opinion, a push-button mobile phone is perfectly adequate in primary school. I don't think it makes sense for children to have their own smartphone before the 8th grade. From a neurophysiological point of view, the later the better. I don't even think 14 is ideal, but it's much better than eight.
Christine Bär, educational scientist

What should we look out for before buying a mobile phone?

Before children get their own mobile phone, they should first complete a media driving licence (information on page 44). This will help them recognise opportunities and dangers. Parents should draw up a usage agreement together with the child. A media driving licence sets out rights, obligations and, if necessary, sanctions.
Thomas Feibel, media expert

Does the computer belong in the children's room?

You can put a computer in your child's room from the age of about eight, which is used according to jointly agreed rules and agreements. As parents, you should keep an eye on compliance with these rules.
Stefan Aufenanger, senior research professor for media education

At what age should we allow our child to access the Internet?

Controls, times and filters can be set for every operating system and every router. This means that children can use the internet in an appropriately protected way from a very early age. A good time is when they start primary school. Children can then research specific topics that interest them.
Stefan Aufenanger

Which medium is particularly popular with children and young people today?

We differentiate between the medium as a technology and the content. In terms of devices, it is clearly the smartphone because it is a multifunctional meta-medium. In terms of content, it is fictional and audiovisual content such as films, series and radio plays. But social media are also far ahead because people can produce and forward content themselves and share it with each other.
Daniel Süss, Professor of Media Psychology and Communication Sciences, co-project leader of the JAMES study

Our son is constantly listening to music through headphones at home. How do we deal with this?

In the past, when we didn't want to talk to our parents, we closed the door and listened to loud music. Today, there are headphones that also have a social function in order to clarify closeness and distance. Especially during puberty, children want distance from their parents. It is part of young people's identity development to detach themselves from their parents.
Stefan Aufenanger

My child wants Alexa in the nursery. Would you allow him to do that?

In my opinion, devices with microphones have no place in children's rooms because we can never be sure how much they are listening in on us. What's more, young children may mistake the voice assistant for a real friend because of its human voice and confide personal things to it. Not a good idea.
Thomas Feibel