News Overview 2022

We all have them on our mobile devices: Apps. But what security risks are hidden behind these digital helpers? How can users protect themselves and their children's mobile devices from attempted fraud? These questions are answered by the new video series of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). Under the title Cyber-Sicherheit², the BSI and klicksafe jointly provide practical tips on how to safely use apps on mobile devices.

Smartwatches are now coveted accessories in the lives of children and young people. They are worn on the wrist like a digital watch. They are therefore wearables - electronics that are worn on the body. 28 percent of young people in Germany now own such wearables, according to the JIM Study 2022. But it's not just young people who are interested in the devices. Some parents are also considering equipping their children with the smart companions. A need for greater security for the child often plays a role here.

Smartphones are coveted Christmas gifts among children and teenagers. For parents, this raises many questions: At what point is a child mature enough to have his or her own smartphone? Can the devices be set up to be childproof? What rules of use should I set for my child? klicksafe offers extensive materials that answer these parental questions.

Children and young people are increasingly confronted with cybergrooming, the initiation of sexual abuse on the Internet, in social media or online games. In the klicksafe Expert*innen-Talk, cybercriminologist Prof. Dr. Thomas-Gabriel Rüdiger answers important questions about cybergrooming from a legal-criminological perspective. Are people who sexually harass and abuse children and young people on the Internet primarily male and adult? That's what the last part of our video series is about.

The war of aggression against Ukraine, the victory of the Taliban in Afghanistan or the German elections: In order to reach young people online, Islamists use current political events as a hook for inhumane and anti-democratic messages. They use popular services such as TikTok or Instagram, especially among young people, and present themselves as approachable and authentic, following the example of popular influencers.

Today, Seitenstark e.V. awarded the SEITENSTARK seal of approval for the first time to 31 outstanding web offerings for children. The idea and goal of the new seal of approval is to promote the quality and diversity of digital children's media in the long term and to provide reliable guidance for children, families and educators.

The project "Media in Schools" of the Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle Multimedia-Diensteanbieter (FSM e.V.) publishes the material "Young people online. Between information, interaction and entertainment", a new teaching unit. It deals with the significance of digital media and the Internet for the lives of young people. Focusing on personal data, online communication, safe searching and entertainment, the material enables teachers to help students navigate their online worlds in a competent and self-determined manner.

Cybergrooming describes the initiation of sexual contact with children and young people on the Internet. In the new klicksafe Expert*innen-Talk, cybercriminologist Prof. Dr. Thomas-Gabriel Rüdiger answers important questions about cybergrooming from a legal-criminological perspective. How often does cybergrooming occur and are there certain strategies used by perpetrators? - This is the subject of the two new videos.

Since 1998, 12- to 19-year-olds have been surveyed about their media use for the JIM study. As a result, the study provides important figures on how young people use digital media. Which services are hot, how are households equipped with devices and how much time do young people spend with media? The JIM Study 2022, published on November 25, provides answers to these questions. For the representative study, 1,200 young people aged twelve to 19 in Germany were surveyed by telephone or online on June 2 and July 16, 2022.

More and more children and young people are affected by cybergrooming, the initiation of sexual contact from strangers, on the Internet. This is the result of the second survey on cybergrooming conducted by the Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia (Landesanstalt für Medien NRW). In the new klicksafe Expert*innen-Talk, cybercriminologist Prof. Dr. Thomas-Gabriel Rüdiger answers the most important questions from a legal-criminological perspective. The first two videos of the expert talk are now available.

What are typical juvenile offenses and how are they tried in court? What are the stories behind the crimes? How do the victims fare? And how do young people themselves discuss and judge them?

What should parents know about cybergrooming, the initiation of sexual contact with children and young people on the Internet? And how can they protect their children from sexual harassment online? We talked about this in a web seminar for parents. Those who couldn't be there or missed the event can watch the recording now.

Together against cyberbullying! Under this motto, klicksafe and four partner projects of other state media authorities have joined forces to take a stand against cyberbullying on November 18. The occasion is the annual, international "Stand up against bullying!" day. With three videos in which a young woman reports on her bullying experiences, young people, parents and educators are to be informed about cyberbullying and its consequences and sensitized to the topic.

On the occasion of the 8th European Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Violence on 18.11., Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus and the Independent Commissioner on Child Sexual Abuse (UBSKM), Kerstin Claus, presented the joint awareness and activation campaign "Don't push the thought away!" in Berlin today. The message: Children and young people are at risk of sexual violence, especially in their own environment.

Safer Internet Day 2023 will take place on February 7, 2023 under the slogan "#OnlineAmLimit - your network. your life. your limits." Starting today, you can download logos, banners and sharepics to draw attention to your Safer Internet Day commitment. The first events have already been registered with klicksafe and are now available in our event overview.