News Overview

Since 2003, the Internet ABC has been offering children a safe introduction to the online world. Designed as a learning platform for six to twelve-year-olds, children learn everything they need to know for their first steps on the Internet. Internet-ABC e.V. now celebrated its 20th anniversary at the Bertelsmann Stiftung with invited guests from the worlds of politics and education.

Since ChatGPT, the topic of "AI" has arrived in the public consciousness and also in classrooms. Young people need support to be able to use AI-based tools sensibly and safely in the school context. For this purpose, klicksafe has developed a new flyer in cooperation with Safe im Recht. Recent reports from Spain in particular show what happens when such tools are used irresponsibly by adolescents. Several teenagers had created and distributed AI-generated nude images of more than 20 girls, so-called deepnudes.

Young people gather information on the Internet primarily via social media. There, they regularly come into contact with various forms of disinformation. How can they recognize credible information among fake news, conspiracy stories and deep fakes? The updated klicksafe handbook "Ethics makes click. Meinungsbildung in der digitalen Welt" offers comprehensive information and numerous projects with new examples to strengthen young people's opinion-forming skills.

How can you distinguish AI images from others? Can AI also be creepy? And how do artificially intelligent systems actually work? The latest issue of the media magazine for children and young people is about mystical stories, exciting interviews and creative tips for everyone who wants to find their way safely in the digital world.

In yesterday's TV show "Lass dich überwachen!" (Let yourself be monitored!), satirist Jan Böhmermann focused on the handling of personal data on the Internet in an entertaining way. The appeal is clear: Watch what you do on the Internet, because the Internet doesn't forget anything! What should users watch out for when surfing the net? We have compiled materials, tips and information for educators, parents and young people on the subject of data protection.

Only those who know their rights can claim them. On this year's World Children's Day, September 20, Seitenstark is launching the "Children's Rights - Level Up!" project. Children can find out about their digital and analog rights and get ideas for actively dealing with their children's rights.

Hate on the web is unfortunately an everyday phenomenon. On social media platforms, in forums and in comment columns, people are insulted, denigrated and covered with ridicule and scorn. Especially people who are in the public eye are confronted with hate. A new report by jugendschutz.net sheds light on the extreme hostility that climate activists, for example, experience online. For children and young people, there is not only the danger of becoming a target themselves. The omnipresence of hate online can lead to such hostility increasingly being perceived as normal. Our new flyer "Aktiv werden gegen Hate Speech" (Be active against hate speech) explains in a nutshell for young people what hate speech is and how to defend against it.

Artificial intelligence (AI for short) is an exciting and fast-growing technology. It is already influencing our lives in many ways. Artificial intelligence is in the voice assistant in our living room. The streaming service uses AI to suggest suitable movies and series. And the navigation system in our cars calculates the best way to avoid the next traffic jam while we're still driving. To understand how all this works, we explain the basics in our new topic area: What is an algorithm? What is machine learning? And what types of AI are there?

On September 21, 2023, klicksafe will host a free web seminar on "Already switched off today? Find your digital balance". Students, teachers, and educational professionals can learn why digital media can stress us out and what balanced media use looks like. The media scouts from Norf Comprehensive School will present an exciting talk followed by a Q&A session.

Digital media cast a spell over us all. But what is it that actually makes them so appealing? How do we prevent smartphones and the like from turning from everyday helpers into family quarrels? And how do we keep our usage time and that of our children under control? In a free web seminar for parents, klicksafe, together with the addiction help center in Aachen, gets to the bottom of these questions.

The Hot Chip Challenge is currently circulating on social media. Participants are asked to eat a tortilla chip with an extremely hot spice. Some media outlets are reporting on emergency medical services at schools. We provide information on how schools and parents can deal with online challenges that pose a health risk.

The Digital Services Act (DSA) came into force in November 2022. For users, however, the effects will only be felt gradually. Recently, the very large platforms with more than 45 million users have had to comply with the new rules of the DSA. This includes services such as Instagram, Google and Amazon. We explain what impact the new law will have on the use of the Internet by children and young people in Europe.

Everyday family life between the online world and real life can be exhausting. Between Zoom conferences and TikTok, gaming sessions and class chats, sometimes nerves get the better of us. klicksafe and Natascha Ochsenknecht help families stay digitally balanced.

In some German states, the new school year has already started. In others, it will start soon. klicksafe offers an overview of materials that teachers can use to bring media literacy into the classroom.

Discord is an online service that was originally developed for the needs of the video game community. Through Discord, people can network, chat, and talk while playing video games together online. Discord is still a platform that is especially popular in the video game scene, but is increasingly being used beyond that.