Miniatur Wunderland founder Frederik and educator Johanna Braun launch a musical appeal for a more conscious use of smartphones.
Hamburg, July 2025.
A silent moment at the airport: three teenagers, around 16 years old, sat side by side, all staring at their phones – for 15 minutes. Not a glance, not a word, not a laugh. Two men next to them were engaged in a lively, emotional conversation.
“This contrast deeply affected me,” says Frederik Braun, one of the founders of Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg. “I was sitting on a plane and wrote the lyrics to ‘Bildschirmblick’ during the flight.”
The song, produced under the project name Generation B, is more than just music. It’s a plea. A wake-up call, wrapped in humor and heart – and could become Germany’s highest-charting AI music project to date.
Frederik and his wife Johanna (herself a musician and educator) are parents of five children and want to make a difference:
“We use modern digital technology ourselves every day and are very grateful for the opportunities it offers, but children first need to experience the analog world so they can later learn to navigate the digital world safely. And they can’t do that alone.”
Between Dopamine and Constant Stimulation – What Happens in Children’s Brains
The initial spark for the project came at the beginning of the year when Johanna Braun, frustrated with the way her twins’ fifth-grade class handled smartphones, gave a presentation on children’s media use in schools. She explained why children between the ages of 10 and 12 are particularly at risk:
“During this phase, the prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain responsible for impulse control and decision-making – is not yet fully developed. Every message, every like triggers a small dopamine release. This feels good, but it trains the brain for short-term rewards instead of patience and concentration.”
Neuroscientific studies confirm this: Constant overstimulation can lead to reduced self-control and increased distractibility in the long run. Children whose daily lives are dominated by social media or fast-paced games have greater difficulty concentrating on a task for extended periods or tolerating frustration.
The DAK and UKE study (2023) shows that over a quarter of 10- to 17-year-olds in Germany use social media in a risky or pathological way, and 4.7 percent are already considered addicted.
“We are facing a tsunami of addiction disorders,” warned Professor Rainer Thomasius from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. Boys are particularly at risk: six percent already meet the criteria for media-dependent use.
Other countries have long been taking action.
While Germany is still debating, other countries have long since taken decisive action:
• France banned smartphones in schools back in 2018 – including their use during breaks and on school grounds.
• New Zealand introduced a nationwide ban on mobile phones in schools in 2024. Prime Minister Luxon explained: “We cannot stand idly by while our children’s concentration and educational success decline.”
• In the same year, Australia not only banned mobile phones in schools, but also social media access for those under 16. Platforms there are required to verify age – violations are punishable by fines of up to AUD 50 million.
• The Netherlands and Belgium have implemented similar regulations – with measurable success: 87% of schools report better concentration, 81% of improved learning behavior.
• Germany, on the other hand, remains hesitant. “We discuss data protection and innovation, but not the well-being of our children,” says Frederik Braun.
What Generation B wants for Germany
“We’re not calling for a total ban,” emphasizes Johanna Braun.
“But we do want clear guidelines at last – and the courage to take children by the hand again.” It will only work if politicians, schools, and parents all pull together. One cannot exist without the other.
Their key points:
• No smartphones before age 12, ideally 14
• Smartphone ban in schools up to grade 10 to protect social and cognitive development.
• Social media use only from age 16 – in combination with age verification.
• Mandatory lessons on media literacy, data protection, and digital ethics.
• Parental education instead of blame: Adults must model responsible media use.
An AI Song with Heart – and a Social Mission
The fact that “Bildschirmblick” (Screen View) was produced using AI is not a stylistic choice, but a symbol:
“We wanted to show that artificial intelligence doesn’t have to be the enemy,” says Frederik Braun.
“If AI helps us talk about real issues, then it becomes a tool for humanity.”
All proceeds from the song, CD, and picture disc will go to the Rolf Zuckowski Foundation “Children Need Music.”
A charming and deliberate contrast to the AI: The song is available in a unique vinyl edition with a genuine signature pressed into the vinyl – each copy is one of a kind. (www.releeze.de)
What began as a quiet moment at the airport is now a song, a statement, and perhaps the beginning of a long-overdue social debate.
“Children need closeness, music, and real conversations – not constant lights shining in their faces.”
Sources (selection):
• DAK / UKE-Studie 2023, Medienkonsum und Suchtverhalten bei Jugendlichen in Deutschland
• Deutsches Schulportal: Handyverbot in Frankreich und Belgien, 2024
• Tagesschau.de, Neuseeland verbietet Handys an Schulen, 2024
• Spiegel Online, Australien verbietet Social Media unter 16 Jahren, 2024
• Rainer Thomasius (UKE): Deutsches Zentrum für Suchtfragen des Kindes- und Jugendalters, 2023
