Engl. transl.: Mobile mediation: Cell phone and mobile internet use by children and young people

This project recorded how adolescents between eight and 14 years of age - that are in the transition phase from childhood to youth - use and evaluate cell phones and the mobile Internet and which factors influence a more or less individual and socially beneficial use. In addition, the role of the cell phone from the perspective of parents, in the family and within the peer group was examined. In the lives of children and adolescents, cell phones and, above all, smartphones have become everyday companions that are used as multifunctional devices every day and in some cases permanently. As a result, special ways of using, communication norms and manners develop that serve adolescents for entertainment, social exchange, social comparison, relationship building and management and information exchange. This applies in particular to social relationships with peers, but communication is also carried out with parents via cell phone in order to discuss or exchange ideas. However, the peer group is becoming increasingly important and influential in the eight to 14 age group, while parental influence is gradually decreasing. For adults, therefore, the most interesting and relevant question is what they know about the usage behavior of their children, how they evaluate them and to what extent they can accompany and positively influence them. (Translated by Coder)

- The use of cell phones and mobile internet - especially communication with people of the same age - is increasing rapidly (p.5). - Handy involvement is on average strong; a fifth are heavily involved or at risk of addiction (p.5) - Communication, everyday organization and availability in emergencies are the greatest perceived potential of using mobile phones (p.5) -While around 10 percent of adolescents have already experienced bullying and exclusionary behavior in both the role of perpetrator and victim, between 4 and 6 percent of children and adolescents have already become victims or perpetrators of happy slapping or have sent sexualized photos of themselves (p.6). -Communication norms of the peer group and the perceived pressure to adapt influence the use of mobile phones (p.7) - Common forms of use and communication via mobile phone enable group-related and individual identity and relationship work (p.8) - The curiosity about new messages and the pressure to communicate yourself are evidently greater than the desire to to behave politely. The outstanding importance of the cell phone as a means of communication underlines its function for the identity work of adolescents. Social comparisons can be made and social groups formed via interaction. In addition, the cell phone itself can represent a status symbol, but it also offers a forum for Self-presentation (p.8) - When it comes to cell phone use and cell phone competence, there are generational differences between parents and children (p.8) - The cell phone and its use are often a source of family disputes. It is hardly used by parents and children together (p.9) - Parents use restrictive cell phone educational measures the most. One seventh of adults have no cell phone education at all (p.10) - In addition to explicit cell phone education measures, the behavior of the parents as a role model and the quality of their relationship with the child have an influence on how they use the cell phone (p.10) - Although around two thirds of all parents surveyed found information on the risks of cell phone use and tips on age-appropriate cell phone education relevant, the actual information behavior is rather low. The contact with other parents in the circle of relatives or acquaintances is the most frequently used source when it comes to questions about cell phone education or the exchange about cell phone use among adolescents (p.12) Implications for educators - All educators, including teachers, for example, need reinforcement in their sense of competence with regard to educational measures (p.13) - Therefore, in the context of media-pedagogical information and interventions, parents should, above all, be relieved of uncertainty about cell phone education (p.13) - Because the cell phone as a mobile and individually used communication medium allows shared use and the associated control only to a limited extent, new forms of media education are required (p.13) - Since 15 percent of the parents surveyed have practically no cell phone education, this group should be more closely tracked down, addressed and motivated (p.13) - In general, low-threshold information should be made available to suit the families' individual needs (p.14) - Supporting adolescents in developing into self-confident and independent personalities who use their mobile phones competently, individually and in a socially beneficial manner is to be seen as the overriding goal of media education efforts (p.14) Implications for research -In this research, it has proven to be extremely fruitful to take into account different social contexts as well as individual parental and child factors in their respective entanglements in order to describe and explain how children and adolescents use cell phones and mobile internet (p. 14) - Longitudinal approaches that include all family members and especially the peer group would be required in further studies (p.14)