The everyday media life of children and adolescents holds many surprises for adults. About disturbing class chats and how we deal with them.
In "We lose our children!", headmistress Silke Müller advises parents not to look away from what their offspring are doing with their smartphones and what content they are consuming. Whether it's cruelty to animals, dangerous tests of courage or porn. The content of the book is disturbing, but all the more important than ever, demands the digital ambassador of Lower Saxony.
Violent videos and other content that is not suitable for teens and children are doing the rounds. "We are losing our children!" is an important book on the subject of media literacy. © Westend61/Imago/Droemer (Montage)
How could it happen that violence among children, pornography and cyberbullying are circulating on the Internet, even though they are illegal and freely accessible to minors? Silke Müller, a school principal in Lower Saxony, draws a harsh conclusion in her book. She told NDR that her generation, but possibly also the generation before her, had not managed to establish values and norms for peaceful coexistence on the Internet. The tone on the net is also anything but good.
First social media consultation in Lower Saxony
As headmistress, Silke Müller has a much deeper insight than most parents. Often, a "won't be so bad" attitude on the part of parents worries them. At her school, she was the first school in Lower Saxony to introduce a social media consultation. Here, the students can exchange ideas about the topic. Whether it's cyberbullying, disturbing TikTok videos, or dangerous challenges. The days when only funny cat videos were shared are long gone.
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Taking away your phone is not a solution
The addictive algorithm of social networks, whether Instagram or TikTok, only gradually seduces and unfolds its potential to draw young people into a much greater dependency than one might think at first glance. Silke Müller gives practical examples that could scare off the faint-hearted. Together with her team, she tries to keep an eye on analogue and digital events at the school at the same time.
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My Area
As a parent, you might now come up with the idea of taking away your offspring's cell phone. Then the direct danger is averted for the time being. Far from it, according to the author. She told NDR that you have to stay in constant contact with the next generation. We must not lose touch with the reality of our children.
Silke Müller "We are losing our children!": Conclusion
The book "We are losing our children!" is a revealing insight into the digital world that children and young people are currently experiencing. Ideas and tips on how everyday life can succeed digitally, but also analogously, as well as an interview with cybercriminologist Dr. Thomas-Gabriel Rüdiger, round off the book. Thus, a clear recommendation for all parents!
Silke Müller: "We are losing our children"
2023 Droemer, ISBN-13
Price: Hardcover €20, e-book €17.99, 224 pages (different from format)
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Silke Müller
Silke Müller is the headmistress of a school in Lower Saxony and, since 2021, the first digital ambassador of her state. It is committed to promoting ethical and democratic values education, especially in the digital world. She is also a stepmother of two daughters and lives in Hatten in the district of Oldenburg.