September focuses on digital consumption: What resources do streaming, cloud services, and artificial intelligence require—and how can digital services be used in a more mindful and sustainable way?

Digital consumption has long been a part of everyday life for children and teens. What lies behind these digital services isn’t immediately apparent: Streaming and cloud services require data centers, devices, raw materials, and energy. This makes it all the more important to take a closer look at our digital habits: What do I actually use, what do I store, and which digital services do I really need? 

The more data that is stored and consumed, the more storage locations and resources are required. This applies, for example, to streaming videos and music, photos and files stored in the cloud, or the computing power needed for queries to AI systems. Even small changes in our daily digital lives can help us use digital services more mindfully and sustainably. The Office for the Protection of Minors offers some simple tips:

Streaming

• Try choosing lower resolutions sometimes—it doesn’t always have to be 4K
• Download music instead of streaming it every time
• If possible, stream over Wi-Fi instead of using mobile data
• Less background noise: Only stream content that’s actually being watched or listened to

Use cloud storage

• Only save what you actually need
• Regularly delete old photos, videos, and files

Use of artificial intelligence

• Question the necessity: Every AI query requires computing power and electricity
• Bundle multiple questions instead of making many individual requests
• Search without AI

Digital environments are changing rapidly—and so are the issues that children, teens, parents, and educational professionals face. That’s why the “Topic of the Month” series from Mainz’s Child and Youth Protection Office regularly addresses current developments and offers practical advice for everyday life. The Youth Protection Officer at the Office for Youth and Family Affairs of the State Capital of Mainz regularly provides information on current topics related to media protection on the House of Youth Rights website and on the City of Mainz’s Instagram channel. 

Media safety is part of youth protection’s preventive work and involves informing and protecting children and adolescents from the dangers and risks of the internet and other digital media. The best protection is media literacy. The goal is to raise awareness among children, adolescents, parents, and educational professionals about the safe, mindful, and responsible use of digital media and to educate them about current developments and potential risks.