The digital world – a blessing or a curse?

Slowly and almost silently, the robotic lawnmower moves across the lawn, skilfully navigating round the flowerbeds and stopping reliably at any obstacle. The grass clippings remain on the lawn, protecting the soil from drying out and, over time, decomposing into nutrient-rich humus. The basis for this: digital technology!
    The use of Artificial Intelligence in medical imaging diagnostics enables, for example, the early detection of cancer. Images are broken down into pixels. Potential anomalies that the human eye cannot detect are identified. A beneficial advance in medicine!
    Smart Waste uses sensors to gather information on the fill levels of rubbish bins. This saves unnecessary walks and thus reduces energy consumption. Environmentally reasonable! The list of potential applications for digital technologies is long.
    We – as adults – look at the countless possibilities offered by the digital world and welcome the many applications that make our lives easier. At the same time, we are well aware of the risks and try to avoid them. However, the extent to which technological changes are currently taking place through the use of artificial intelligence urgently requires discussion amongst us adults. The uncritical development and use of artificial intelligence – which gives the impression of objectivity and is now capable of simulating human communication in a highly sophisticated manner – will shake the very foundations of our coexistence.
    Pope Leo XIV points this out in his recently published encyclical “Magnifica humanitas – The Magnificent Humanity”. “No computer system, however sophisticated, can create a heart that gives of itself, or a conscience that recognises what is good.” (Para 233) Technological progress is so rapid that we as adults can barely keep up.
    But what about children and young people, then?
    They are fascinated by the colourful, fast-moving images and the wide range of games and tools available in various apps. They do not give a second thought to potential dangers. They live in the here and now, and that is where computers, tablets or smartphones offer the most appealing activities.
    If children fall on an icy surface because they were running too fast, they experience the consequences straight away: Ouch – that hurts! They do not experience the consequences of their behaviour on screen-based media immediately. It’s exciting and never boring on the screen. And their friends are there too – even if only virtually.
    They do not realise that their screen time comes at the expense of real-world experiences. Young people have not the faintest idea of what they are missing out on in analogue life. They do not realise that digital programmes are designed to deliberately keep users glued to their devices for long periods and may, in some cases, be addictive.
    They do not realise that the big tech companies are making a lot of money from them whilst they spend hours watching videos or playing games.
    Children and young people do not yet conceive how important the protection of privacy is to their own dignity. They often only find out later – and sometimes in a very painful way – how carelessly they have disclosed personal information about themselves online, which is now accessible all over the world and can no longer be retrieved.
    The Federal Centre for the Protection of Children and Young People in the Media identifies 43 digital risks.
    Faced with these numerous dangers, one cannot help but feel anxious and worried for our young people. What can we, as adults, do to protect children and young people from these risks?
    For the past ten years, the association Media Protect e. V. (founded, amongst others, by Professor Paula Bleckmann) has been addressing this issue and has since developed a comprehensive, scientifically underpinned prevention programme. The aim is to empower children to become media-literate. The term deliberately draws on the great Enlightenment thinkers of the 18th century. “Have courage to use your own reason!” (Immanuel Kant)
    Children and young people should be empowered to recognise the opportunities and risks of the digital world. They should be able to understand and see through digital tools as such in a self-determined (mature) manner, and use them to their advantage – that is, in the interests of their physical, mental and emotional health.
    The prevention programme “ECHT DABEI – growing up healthy in the digital age” is based on a comprehensive approach to achieving the goal of media literacy.
    The focus is on strengthening the family’s ability to form relationships and its capacity to develop fundamental skills in children through analogue means. Only a child who has experienced the world with all their senses and tested themselves within it will be able to grasp digital processes with a deep understanding and use them appropriately later on. There are excellent opportunities to provide basic digital literacy to nursery or primary school children – entirely in an analogue way. The children learn to understand digital processes without sitting in front of a screen. This way, they do not run the risk of later, out of awe and ignorance, asking AI whether they should break up with a friend or falling for psychological manipulation techniques on social media. They know that a computer is a machine based on algorithms. The output does not necessarily correspond to reality.
    The symposium on 25–26 September 2026 in Freiburg (see box) is warmly recommended to all interested readers. It is being held to mark the 10^th anniversary of “ECHT DABEI – growing up healthy in the digital age” and is aimed at professionals, parents and anyone else with an interest. With a modern approach to media literacy, protection, empowerment and participation can go hand in hand. Registrations are now open. •