The Association of German Philologists (DPhV) is advocating for a clear strategy to manage the use of social media in schools. Susanne Lin-Klitzing, the chairwoman of the DPhV, told the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” publication that schools and teachers require definitive guidelines and legal certainty, especially during crises such as child bullying events, the circulation of youth-endangering content, or escalating communication with parents. Lin-Klitzing noted that educators are facing daily challenges, including witnessing how young people become trapped in addictive patterns, how cyberbullying transitions from online platforms into the classroom, and how misinformation compromises the teaching process.
She emphasized that this issue is not merely a minor pedagogical concern; rather, it demands a holistic, societal, and political strategy. Such a strategy, she insisted, must involve parents starting in primary school to raise awareness about their own usage habits and thus the habits of their children.
A nationwide survey conducted by the association and the educational portal “Lehrer-Online” in May and June 2026 revealed that every second teacher in Germany feels insecure about social media in their daily professional life. In fact, eight percent of the participating teachers expressed feeling helpless and overwhelmed.
Among the central challenges related to social media, 79% of surveyed teachers cited addictive behavior and excessive use by adolescents. Following this were distraction due to mobile phones in class (70%), cyberbullying, sexting, and hate speech and disinformation (63%). Conversely, communication with parents was the least common concern, cited by only 22% of respondents.
Overall, 68% of those surveyed considered social media a relevant issue for education. A further 15% are demanding immediate support. Only 9% indicated that social media is not a topic of concern for them, while 40% felt confident managing conflicts arising from social media.
For classroom life, a majority of 68% of respondents want uniform regulations and concepts. Sixty-two percent desire specific, customized action strategies, while 59% wish to be informed about legal foundations, such as copyright, penal code violations, and data protection. Regarding professional development, practical advice was highly requested. Finally, 29% requested psychological support for dealing with demanding cases.
