evido – Selbstregulation gegen Kontrollverlust: So können Schulen auf dem Weg zur digitalen Mündigkeit unterstützen

Digital platforms undermine young people’s ability to self-regulate, with noticeable consequences for their daily lives. Ralph Hertwig shows how schools can promote authentic digital literacy by establishing clear guidelines and providing targeted support.

Digital media shape the everyday lives of young people. At the same time, they pose enormous challenges to their self-control. In this interview, Ralph Hertwig, director of the Center for Adaptive Rationality, explains why social media are designed to capture attention and why traditional bans are therefore often insufficient. He advocates the concept of "boosting": equipping pupils with knowledge, mental tools, and simple protective strategies to empower them to shape their digital environment. Hertwig also emphasizes that schools need clear regulations, such as a smartphone-free campus area. Combined with teaching emotional and digital skills, these regulations contribute to fostering genuine digital literacy.

Full article: evido | 02.04.2026