Tool designed for adolescents to combat internet overuse
The 'freii' app, developed by experts from Villa Schöpflin, a centre for addiction prevention, is set to help teenagers and their parents adopt a more conscious approach to digital media. The app, targeted at children and young people aged 11 to 15, will be available to the public from September 22.
The beta version of the app is already fully usable, with programmers still fine-tuning it for any malfunctions or issues. The app was launched at a Berlin school on Wednesday.
According to a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), German teenagers spend an average of 48 hours a week in front of their screens, which is almost seven hours a day. This screen time is spent on TikTok, computer games, and other digital applications, more than their international peers.
The 'freii' app aims to balance media use, screen time, and leisure time. Every day, the app presents short tasks that can be solved together with parents. Comedian and doctor Eckart von Hirschhausen supports the project and has created explanatory videos specifically for parents.
Four young people accompany the teenagers daily with videos, quiz questions, and challenges. These specialists, to be trained in a two-day program, are likely educators or facilitators who will guide students through the app and its contents, focusing on critical media usage and awareness.
The app was scientifically accompanied and evaluated in a study funded by the Federal Ministry of Health. It was developed with the aim of helping teenagers and their parents navigate the digital world in a more mindful and balanced way.
The 'freii' app is funded by the Schöpflin and Beisheim foundations and is free for users. The developers plan to offer the app to schools, with a two-day training course provided for specialists to accompany the program's implementation in schools.
The launch of the 'freii' app marks an important step in promoting conscious digital media use among teenagers and empowering parents to guide their children towards a healthier and more balanced relationship with technology.
Read also:
- Method for Eradicating Algae and Diatoms in a Reef Aquarium - Copepods as a Solution
- Researchers delve into unexplored territories of cardiovascular wellness with the Apple Watch
- Enhancing Vaginal Health through Probiotics: Top Strains for Maintaining pH Levels
- Uncovered in a Danish cellar, a 130-year-old butter additive harbors bacteria dating back to the 1890s.
