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Freii App Launches in Germany to Help Teens Use Phones More Mindfully

The prevention program from Villa Schöpflin uses a 21‑day challenge to build healthier phone habits in families.

Overview

  • Freii is now free on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, with a browser version still available.
  • Developed by the Villa Schöpflin addiction‑prevention center in Lörrach, the offering is positioned as prevention rather than therapy.
  • The program runs for 21 days with daily challenges such as locking the phone away for several hours, guided by explainer videos and youth presenters.
  • Features include prompts and quizzes that involve parents and spark family conversations about social media and smartphone use.
  • At the Berlin presentation, the federal addiction and drugs commissioner cited DAK research indicating about one in four children shows risky media behavior, and physician‑presenter Eckart von Hirschhausen endorsed the project; schools are invited to adopt it with facilitated workshops, and a 2025 study reported completion rates of roughly 42% for youth and 52% for parents.