Tool developed for adolescents to counteract compulsive internet usage
New Digital Wellness App for German Youth Launches this September
Starting September 22, a new digital wellness app called freii will be available to the public, aiming to help children and young people aged 11 to 15 manage their screen time more effectively. The app, developed by experts at Villa Schöpflin, is free for users and is funded by the Schöpflin and Beisheim foundations.
According to an OECD study, German teens spend more time on digital media than their international peers, with an average of 48 hours weekly, or nearly seven hours daily, on screens. This excessive screen time has become a concern for many, prompting the development of freii.
The app is not intended to demonize digital media but to balance media use, screen time, and leisure time. It offers daily tasks to complete, either alone or with parents, which take between three to four minutes. Each day, users receive short tasks to help them identify risk factors, such as poor leisure time structure, and learn strategies to protect young people from excessive screen time.
The app's effects were assessed in a study funded by the Federal Ministry of Health, and it has been scientifically evaluated. To ensure its widespread implementation, the app is planning to train educators nationwide in a two-day workshop to implement the program.
Comedian and physician Eckart von Hirschhausen supports the project, providing explanatory videos for parents. Four young people guide users through the program with daily videos, quizzes, and challenges. The app targets schools as well as individual users, and it is focused on platforms like TikTok or Instagram.
In an effort to encourage mindful digital media habits, freii is launching a 21-day challenge. The challenge, which starts on the app's launch date, aims to help young people and their parents develop healthier screen time habits. The Schöpflin Foundation (Schöpflin Stiftung) supported the development of the freii app, with the Beisheim foundation also contributing to its funding.
The prevention program was introduced at a Berlin school, marking a significant step towards promoting digital wellness among German youth. With the beta version of the app now available, freii is poised to make a positive impact on the digital lives of many young people in Germany.
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