German Safer Internet Centre: COVID-19 resources

The German Safer Internet Centre has set up a page with information (in German) for parents and teachers on how to stay safe online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit the page on: https://www.klicksafe.de/corona/

Below you can find an outline of the articles and resources published on the page organised by topic.

Date 2020-04-08 Author BIK Team Section awareness

* Please note – resource listings are being added to regularly, so please check back often for the latest information *

  • Positive content and well-being at home

    • Counselling services for children, young people and parents while staying at home. Lockdown measures mean that many people are spending more time at home than usual. That can be nice, but it can also be very exhausting and, in this unusual situation, conflicts can quickly arise. Most disputes are certainly harmless and can be settled quickly, but what if they can't? Klicksafe lists several free counselling services to help prevent escalation and which can offer help.
  • How to respond to online risks under the COVID-19 pandemic

    • COVID-19 – how to deal with scaremongering and disinformation. Is ibuprofen a danger to those who are ill? Will supermarkets close? Will the internet hold out? Rumours about COVID-19 are currently spreading faster than the virus itself. Klicksafe gives tips on how to handle information about the coronavirus correctly.
    • What you need to know about the Houseparty app. The Houseparty app for group video chat is suddenly back in the top 10 most downloaded apps in app stores. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for simple applications for video chat has skyrocketed and Houseparty is currently enjoying great popularity, especially among children and adolescents. But, without the right privacy settings and rules of conduct, using this app can be risky. Find out more in this resource.
    • Netflix, Disney+ and Co - use streaming services safely. Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are already part of everyday life for many families, and are being widely used during the current coronavirus pandemic too, with both adults and children using them equally. Klicksafe summarises how parents can safely set up different streaming services for their children.
  • Emergency remote teaching

    • Learning at home with media - tips for parents and teachers. Parents and teachers are facing major challenges due to the closure of schools in Germany. Children and teenagers should be able to learn from home, but schools and parents have not been prepared for this situation. Klicksafe has collected some apps and web resources that make emergency remote learning on computers or tablets easy.
    • Guideline "Become active yourself: Upload videos to YouTube". Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, many teachers have to prepare lessons from home. This extraordinary situation offers the opportunity to give digital lessons a try, and puts previously-neglected digital learning methods and resources into the spotlight. However, digital teaching requires appropriate tools and knowledge to convey content in a good and exciting way. Klicksafe provides information, tips and content that can help teachers make emergency remote teaching appealing.
    • Tools for digital communication. The daily work of teachers, students and people working in counselling centres is being put to the test. Face-to-face forms of communication are being replaced by video conferences, telephone calls or messages. But questions arise quickly. What programmes and apps are suitable? Are they free or do you have to pay? What standards must be observed in terms of privacy and data protection? This resource can help respond to some of these questions.
    • Homework apps: Copy or learn 2.0? When doing homework, the smartphone is often placed next to the pencil case. Besides pre-installed apps, such as the calculator, it also has digital dictionaries or math apps. While some of these apps can be useful aids for pupils, artificial intelligence can offer ready-made solutions.

The German Safer Internet Centre also provides helpline services allowing children and young people, and parents and carers to access personalised advice and support. Equally, it provides a hotline for reporting any illegal content you mind find online. Don't hesitate to contact them in case of need!

In addition, we'll be bringing you a range of articles and insights on the opportunities and challenges of being online during COVID-19 in the coming days and weeks. Keep checking the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) portal and follow our social channels on Twitter (@Insafenetwork and @SafeInternetDay) and Facebook (@SaferInternet and @SaferInternetDay) for the latest news, information, advice and resources from the Insafe network and from other stakeholder organisations on staying safe online during the coronavirus pandemic.

Discover more resources published by European Safer Internet Centres in a variety of European languages >>

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