Dopamine is the keyword when it comes to Instagram, influencers and the question of why young people can spend hours staring at their cell phones and watching stories. Youtube and Snapchat also work on the principle of releasing the happiness messenger in the brain. When Daniel Huschke from Frankfurt (Oder) asks the children and young people in his workshops how much screen time they have a day, many of the 13 and 14-year-olds answer that it is five to six hours. “That’s quite a number,” says the media educator at the youth information and media center (JIM) in the multi-generation house Mikado.
During the pandemic and the time of reduced contacts, this increased. “People are not made to be alone, they need social contacts,” says Huschke. Young people then looked for role models and idols – the equivalent of what athletes, musicians, bands or actors used to be – on the Internet. In addition to being a role model, the influencer can also be like a buddy, big brother or substitute parent.
Influencers only show the supposedly beautiful things in life
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The sticking point, however, is that influencers always do what brings them more clicks and awareness – and thus more money. When they advertise products, young people often want to have them. “If you follow an influencer long enough, you get the feeling that you know them,” says Daniel Huschke. “And if my friend has the sneakers in a limited edition, I might want them too.”
Participate and win – family compass 2022
■ What is it about? The family compass is a state-wide survey on child and family friendliness in Brandenburg. It is a joint project of the Märkischer Oderzeitung, Lausitzer Rundschau and Märkischer Allgemeine in cooperation with the Evangelische Hochschule Dresden.
■ Why participate? With every questionnaire you answer, you help to improve family and child friendliness in your place of residence. We confront politics and administration with the results and report in detail on the situation in the municipalities.
■ What is there to win? The main prize is a Baltic Sea family vacation for up to six people with 7 nights (incl. laundry, towels, cleaning, tourist tax. Travel and meals are not included). You can also win a family photo shoot or tickets for the show ” Arise” in the Friedrichstadtpalast and much more.
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What can parents do when children spend hours on Instagram, Snapchat and Youtube?
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Who is allowed how much always depends on the developmental level of the children. And don’t just say bans, he says. Instead, watch videos and stories with the children or, if necessary, become a follower yourself – should they block themselves – are options. “Children generally think it’s great when their parents are also interested in what they do,” he says – but at the age of 16 or 17 that might not be the case.
Media educator from Frankfurt (Oder) says: “Everything is just an opinion – mine.”
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“The algorithm in digital life also ensures that everything I get is only one opinion – my opinion. And I always get that reflected,” Daniel Huschke points out. This so-called bubble effect is also known in technical terms as an echo chamber: what I shout out comes back.
Positive aspect: Influencers can also encourage children and young people to do sports
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However, Daniel Huschke also sees positive aspects of this topic. If a sports influencer does a little workout every day and the young people are encouraged to do the same, that could be good. Or when someone introduces a book that you then want to buy yourself. Computer games in which you have to solve problems could also be complex. In the end, it always comes down to the mix. After all, even an hour-long evening of board games – in itself also good for adults who then have to do without their cell phones for two or three hours – is one-sided at some point.
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