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Youth and the Media National Programme for the Promotion of Media Skills ents, For par and s teacher ers caregiv Taking a safe approach to the digital media www.jugendundmedien.ch ns cting o mea Prote ldren als orays f hi our c ing their orld. t w r suppo e digital th into Digital media are part of our everyday life. Today, children and teenagers are growing up in a multi-faceted media world. They play computer games, use the Internet to search for information and hook up with friends and communicate via mobile phones. With as many as 80 per cent of all adolescents aged 12 to 19 possessing their own smart phone, they have the Internet at their fingertips. Even pre-school children are coming in contact with the digital media at an increasingly early age. Digital media – opportunities and risks. As so often in life, opportunities don’t come without risks. Children and adolescents can become addicted to the Internet, be bullied on social networks, have their personal details misused or fall victim to sexual abuse. “How can we protect our children from these dangers? How much time should they spend using the digital media at what age?” These are the kind of questions parents and other caregivers are confronted with. Children should learn to take a critical approach to the digital media. It is neither possible nor sensible to try and keep children away entirely. The new media have become commonplace in school and at work and help fulfil many different tasks. Media also offer various development and learning opportunities. Adolescents should therefore learn to take a critical approach to contents, discover possible risks and know how they can protect themselves. Parents and teachers have an important supportive role to play in listening attentively, acting as a trusted sounding board and learning alongside their children. Children require the active support of grown-ups in their everyday media life. We would like to encourage parents and teachers to provide adolescents with active, age-appropriate support. This flyer gives you the main advice to follow in all questions regarding children and the digital media. GOLDEN RULES Support is better than prohibition. Screens are no babysitters. In their forays into the digital world, children need their parents’ support. Talk to your children about their experiences with the digital media. Ensure that you child engages in leisure activities that do not involve digital media. Children need media-competent role models. When it comes to using the digital media, key carers acts as role models for children and adolescents. It is therefore helpful to reflect on your own media habits. The 3-6-9-12 rule No screens under the age of 3, no gaming consoles under the age of 6, no Internet under the age of 9 and no unsupervised Internet under the age of 12. Observe the age ratings. Both for films (jugendundmedien.ch) and computer games (pegi.ch). Make joint decisions on screen time. Involve your children in the decision on how much time they may spend in front of screens per day or per week. Set clear limits and make sure that the children comply with your joint decisions. TVs, PCs and gaming consoles should not be kept in children’s rooms. Install such appliances in a common room. Keep an eye on smart phones and tablets. Check who your child is chatting with. Children should meet online acquaintances only in public places and in the presence of their parents. Warn your child not to enter personal data on the Internet. Tell your child that he/she may not enter any personal data, such as name, address, age and telephone number, unless this has been discussed with you. Open discussions are better than filter software. Have age-appropriate discussions with your child on topics such as sexuality and violence. Filter software is sensible but does not guarantee all-round protection. These rules are specifically directed at parents with children between the ages of 0 and 13. Nevertheless, a number of the rules are also applicable to adolescent children. FURTHER INFORMATION • On the Internet: www.jugendundmedien.ch • Information and advice close to you: www.jugendundmedien.ch/beratung-undangebote • “Media competence – key advice ensuring a safe approach to the digital media” brochure: available free of charge as a PDF at www.jugendundmedien.ch or as a brochure, e-mail: verkauf.zivil@bbl.admin.ch (order nr. 318.850 d, f, i) In emergencies • Parent helpline, phone: 0848 35 45 55, www.elternnotruf.ch Youth and Media is a national Programme for the Promotion of Media Skills. Its aim is to promote a safe and responsible approach to the digital media among children and adolescents. The programme provides parents, teachers and caregivers with information, support and advice on how to support the children and adolescents under their care. The Swiss Federal Social Insurance Office is implementing the Programme in conjunction with the Swiss Interactive Entertainment Association, Swisscom AG and the Jacobs Foundation on behalf of the Swiss Federal Council. • www.147.ch – free and anonymous advice for children and adolescents by telephone, text or chat, 24 hours Distribution: BBL, Sales of Publications, 3003 Berne, Switzerland www.bundespublikationen.admin.ch, verkauf.zivil@bbl.admin.ch Art. No. 318.851.eng 2.2013 500 860304993 © 2013 Youth and Media, National Programme for the Promotion of the Media Skills, Swiss Federal Social Insurance Office, Department for Child and Adolescent Issues The Golden Rules were developed in ­collaboration with the Media Psychology team at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) under the direction of Prof. Dr. Daniel Sss.