Those who simply want to restrict social media are missing the more important goal: equipping young people with media literacy.

When people talk about social media platforms and young people, the conversation quickly turns to bans, age limits, and screen time. This is understandable, because parents, above all, naturally want protection for their children.

But protection alone doesn’t prepare them for what actually happens on these platforms.

Young people need to learn early on what harassment in the digital space is and where boundaries are crossed. They should understand how algorithms work and why they show them more and more of what they’ve already been engaging with. This is exactly how echo chambers quickly form—places where other perspectives are rarely heard and one-sided views take root.

They should know what targeted ads are and why advertising on social media is often so precisely tailored to their interests, behavior, and insecurities. And they must also learn why it’s important to check multiple sources rather than relying on the first well-crafted post or the loudest video.

And they need to develop a sense of how to recognize true expertise by asking themselves:
Who is actually speaking here?
What are their qualifications?
What’s their agenda?
And in which cases is it worth taking a closer look instead of believing something right away or sharing it further?

The psychological aspect is also part of this. It’s no coincidence that social media is so addictive. Platforms use mechanisms designed to capture attention. The pull is created by endless feeds, rapid stimuli, social validation, and the promise of ever-new content. That’s precisely why it’s so important for young people not only to use this system but also to understand how it works.

We specifically address these kinds of questions at our schools.

At Phorms Campus Berlin Süd, for example, these topics are covered in the courses “Media Communications” and “Digital Education” .

At the Josef-Schwarz-Schule, we also specifically involve parents through events so that they are on the same page as their children and can have more informed conversations at home.

After all, those who understand more can make more informed decisions, take a more critical look at things, and use social media more responsibly.

And that is exactly what matters to us: not just protecting young people from digital risks, but empowering them to navigate these spaces safely, thoughtfully, and responsibly.