THE STRUGGLE IN THEIR MINDS - How TikTok, Instagram & Co Manipulate Our Children

From feeds glorifying suicide and daredevil challenges like the choking game to Incel influencers propagating "hegemonic masculinity": social media harbors dangers for children and adolescents that go far beyond media addiction. Rather, they penetrate deeply into the social behavior and political identity of adolescents - influencing how they maintain relationships and develop their personalities.

Nina Kolleck precisely pinpoints the social and political abysses of social media. She vividly demonstrates how the platforms use manipulative algorithms to exploit young people's emotional needs, fueling disinformation and extremist content - and doing so in the minds of those who will shape the society of tomorrow. Kolleck warns of the influence of social media on brain activity and behavior, making visible how TikTok & Co are taking over educational and socialization functions while parents and teachers are left powerless. She shows: This topic concerns all of us. We must understand the mechanisms of social media to protect our children from manipulation.