Pro Juventute launches crowdfunding campaign for media handling app
Pro Juventute helps children navigate the internet and social media and is planning an app designed to help children develop online skills and safety awareness. The organization aims to raise a total of 72,000 Swiss francs through crowdfunding to develop this app.
Digital media have become an integral part of the everyday lives of children and young people. In addition to many opportunities and freedoms, the use of smartphones also brings challenges and can lead to problems. This makes it all the more important for children to learn how to deal with the stumbling blocks of the digital world.
Empowering children to use digital media
Pro Juventute is working on the development of an app to help children aged 9 and over deal with social media and messenger services. At this age, most children get their first smartphone and develop an independence that is often difficult for parents to manage. Thanks to the use of artificial intelligence, the app enables children to acquire online skills and safety and will initially be available in German-speaking Switzerland from August 2020 following a pilot phase.
Thomas Brunner, Head of Counseling and Support at Pro Juventute: "As the father of two boys, I experience every day how important the internet and social media are for children. At the same time, as head of 147.ch, I see how many children and young people have negative experiences in the digital world. The app makes an important contribution to the development of a responsible and healthy digital existence."
Exchange with parents
Parents play an important role in media education. Together with their parents, children learn to look at media content critically, select it, enjoy it and talk about their media experiences. This is exactly where the app comes in: Parents receive background information via web access, which supports them in their role and makes them fit in an ever faster changing digital world. Parents cannot monitor or limit the user behavior of children and young people.
Pro Juventute has been committed to protecting and empowering children in their use of digital media for many years. The development costs for the app are high and with the Crowdfunding project Pro Juventute wants to cover part of the costs.
