What should children pay attention to when it comes to messenger services/social media?

Almost all of you will have had the experience: as soon as children have their own devices, the question arises about the messengers to be used. Whether at school or in private life, many things are clarified via messenger, class and group chats are used or communication takes place via social media. You will also have exchanged information with other parents or your children’s teachers via WhatsApp, Instagram or TikTok.

The quality for the users of the various messengers is also very different in terms of data protection. In any case, the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI) recommends disclosing as little personal data as possible. Avoid using your main email address to log in. Alternatively, create an extra social media email address. Whenever possible, you should let your children use encrypted communication. It is important that your children only communicate with accounts where they know for sure who is at the other end.

Take a close look at the settings of the messengers used by your children. In everyday life, you quickly forget to think about such important details. Be sure to deal with privacy settings, talk about them with your children and make adjustments. For example, raise your children’s sensitivity so that they pay attention to the visibility setting for posts: What may friends see? What may friends of friends see? What may everyone see? Communicate early to your children how important it is not to publish third parties’ images, videos or sound recordings. And even with regard to their own pictures, caution should be taken. Not every private detail has to end up in a chat or on the Internet. Try to create awareness about the fact that it is extremely difficult to delete images and information once they have been published.

All these recommendations ultimately apply also to you as parents. Just go ahead with a good example. Use privacy-friendly communication platforms and openly discuss social media risks with your children.