Media literacy: More cases of cyberbullying due to Corona

During the pandemic, many more students were active in social networks or games, and at the same time there was a lack of personal exchange, said lawyer Gesa Stückmann on Friday at the beginning of the 5th Federal Youth Conference Media in Rostock. The anonymity and the invisible reactions of those affected would have made it easier for the perpetrators to proceed.

A survey of media scouts has shown that inquiries about cyberbullying have increased by around 15 percent compared to the pre-corona year 2019. More than 200 media scouts from all over Germany came to Rostock for the conference.

Headaches from unhealthy media consumption

These specially trained young people see themselves as multipliers for responsible media use and are available to young people and classmates as advisors. “They impart media competence on an equal footing,” said Stückmann. The scouts also advise on topics such as data protection, hate speech and copyright. The scouts are also of the opinion that parents need more media skills.

“Against the background of this task for society as a whole, media scouts are the link between parents, teachers and students,” said the head of Techniker Krankenkasse MV, Manon Austenat-Wied. Digital health literacy should be an integral part of prevention work in all areas of life. According to the information, the most common effects of unhealthy media consumption are headaches, sleeping problems or pain in the back, shoulder or neck area.

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