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Austria - Policy monitor country profile

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The Better Internet for Kids (BIK) Policy monitor is a tool to compare and exchange knowledge on policy making and implementation in EU Member States, Iceland and Norway on the pillars and recommendations of the European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children (BIK+ strategy). The 2024 edition of the BIK Policy monitor report examines the implementation of the BIK+ strategy in 29 European countries, including all EU Member States, Iceland, and Norway.

Here, we take an in-depth look at the latest monitoring information for Austria.

BIK policies

Policy design asks whether evidence and research support BIK-related policies and whether systems are in place for monitoring and evaluating those policies.

Policy frameworks

Policy frameworks describe the overarching approach for a better internet, and establish the underlying goals, principles and guidelines that shape individual policies within this area.

In Austria: 

  • This topic is an important and emerging policy priority.
  • It is covered by broader policies rather than separate dedicated policies that address the protection, empowerment, and participation of children and the digital environment.
  • The BIK/BIK+ strategy is not explicitly referred to in national policies but has informed policy development on children and the digital environment.  
  • National/regional policies and policy documents do not refer to children's rights in the digital environment.

 

Table 1: Topic summary - policy frameworks
 HighMediumLowOther
Coverage of BIK+ issues in national policies X  
Integration of policy provision  X 
Influence on the BIK+ strategy X  
Recognition of children's rights  X 

Read the full Policy monitor country profile for detailed information on key national policy frameworks in Austria.

Policy design

Policy design asks whether evidence and research support BIK-related policies and whether systems are in place for monitoring and evaluating those policies.

  • Quantitative data on some aspects of children’s digital activity is collected regularly as part of broader surveys.
  • Information is regularly gathered at the government level to inform policies on children and the digital environment.
  • However, little or no funding for research on children and the digital environment is available.
  • Policies are monitored and evaluated but not systematically. It depends on the needs at a particular time or when policies are being considered.

 

Table 2: Topic summary - policy design
 HighMediumLowOther
Regular data collection X  
Other information supports X  
National research fund  X 
Monitoring and evaluation X  

Read the full Policy monitor country profile for detailed information on recent national research studies in Austria.

Policy governance

Policy governance examines how policies are coordinated at the governmental level, whether other implementation bodies are involved in their delivery, and whether structured mechanisms are available to guide their implementation.

  • The lead ministry, public agency or regulatory authority is an informal arrangement depending on the requirements at a particular point in time.
  • The Federal Chancellery, general directorate Family and Youth leads in this regard.
  • Coordination happens more informally across the different departments and entities that contribute to government policies, guidelines, and programmes regarding children and the digital environment.  
  • Government policy has yet to be developed into an implementable action plan at this point.

 

Table 3: Topic summary - policy governance
 HighMediumLowOther
Lead ministry for policy development X  
National coordination body X  
National action plan or strategy  X 

Read the full Policy monitor country profile for detailed information on key policy governance mechanisms in Austria.

Stakeholder involvement

Stakeholder involvement enquires how different stakeholders can participate in policy development. Children’s involvement in policy-making is one such key issue. Additionally, international knowledge exchange about children's digital participation is also relevant to this topic. 

Regarding national coordination bodies:

  • The Safer Internet Advisory Board advises the Austria Safer Internet Centre initiative and also serves to network with other projects and facilitate information exchange between advisory board members.
  • The Digital Skills Office is a national agency for education and internationalisation within Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD) as part of the "Digital Competence Offensive for Austria". It provides information and tips on dealing competently with risks and using the positive aspects of the internet, mobile phones and computers.

Regarding consultation: 

  • Members of the public are consulted on occasion in the course of the development of new policies. However, this is not always the case.
  • Children and young people are listened to directly in the policy development process (e.g., through hearings, consultations, specific surveys) but are not formally involved in decision-making.
  • Policy makers actively participate in various EU-level and other international inter-governmental groups focused on the topic. 

 

Table 4: Topic summary - stakeholder involvement
 HighMediumLowOther
Stakeholder forum   X
Public consultation X  
Involvement of young people X  
International knowledge exchange

X

   

BIK+ actions

Pillar 1 – safe digital experiences

 Safe digital experiences refer to actions taken to protect children from harmful and illegal online content, conduct, contact, and risks as young consumers and to improve their well-being online through a safe, age-appropriate digital environment created in a way that respects children’s best interests. 

Responses to EU laws

Addressing harmful online content

Addressing harmful online conduct

  • Non-consensual sharing of intimate images is covered under various laws, such as protecting privacy under the General Civil Code (ABGB), the Austrian Criminal Code, and Hate Speech Laws.
  • Laws to protect children and young people from cyberbullying include the Hate Speech on the Internet Act (HiNBG), which was amended by renaming the offence to "persistent harassment using a telecommunication or computer system" (instead of "continued").

Age verification and digital identity systems

  • Apart from the Austrian Audiovisual Media Services Act(AMD-G), which regulates video-sharing platform providers, there are no other national/regional laws, technical standards or policies in place regarding age verification mechanisms to restrict minors from accessing adult online content services.
  • Persons over the age of 14 can apply for an ID Austria. There is also the digital proof of age and the digital school ID card.

 

Table 5: Topic summary - pillar 1: safe digital experiences
 In placeIn developmentNot in placeOther
DSA legislation enactedX   
Codes of practice of digital services X  
Consumer code of practice   X
Definition of harmful content   X
Children’s complaints mechanismX   
Bodies can order content removal X  
Intimate image abuse lawsX   
Cyberbullying lawsX   
Age verification for adult content  X 
Digital identity systemsX   

Pillar 2 – digital empowerment

Digital empowerment incorporates actions so that all children, including those in vulnerable situations, acquire the necessary skills and competences to make sound choices and express themselves in the online environment safely and responsibly.

Supports in formal education

Informal education

There are various activities to reinforce informal education about online safety.

  • Content on the topic of online security is available at Onlinesicherheit.at.
  • In 2023, the Digital Skills Initiative launched the "Digital Skills for All" project to promote safe internet use. The aim is to reach all target groups who do not attend formal learning venues.
  • The Austrian SIC (saferinternet.at) offers a range of workshops for various target groups outside formal education.
  • The Youth Portal brings together the multiple activities of regional governments on informal education.

Empowering through digital skills

  • The Austrian Strategy for Cyber Security (ÖSCS) is the strategic framework for increasing Austria's digital resilience and ensuring cyber security in the digital world. It supports the basic requirements for creating secure and value-adding digitalisation. 
  • The Ministry of Finance promotes the training and development of digital skills through the Austrian Youth Strategy and the Digital Skills Initiative.
  • The violence prevention program Click & Check is concerned with promoting responsible use of digital media. Particular attention is paid to developing action strategies and promoting legal certainty in the daily use of the internet, particularly in the area of social media.
  • Cyber Kids is a computer course for children, parents, and educators focused on digital literacy for 8-10 and 10-12-year-olds.
  • ZARA: Digitale Zivilcourage offers various activities that encourage bystanders to challenge online hate speech and to develop digital 'civil courage' (e.g., speaking up against a victim's bullies, perpetrators, or harassers).

 

Table 6: Topic summary - pillar 2: digital empowerment
 In placeIn developmentNot in placeOther
Teaching online safetyX   
Online safety policies in schoolsX   
Adequate teacher trainingX   
Informal education about online safetyX   
Peer-to-peer training in online safetyX   
Support for digital literacy skillsX   
Children’s media literacyX   
Challenge hate speech/digital civil courageX   

Pillar 3 – active participation, respecting children’s rights

Active participation, respecting children’s rights, refers to actions which give children and young people a say in the digital environment, with more child-led activities to foster innovative and creative safe digital experiences.

Active participation

  • The Federal Youth Council acts as the legally anchored representation of the interests of all children and young people. The Federal Youth Representation Act regulates its tasks, the implementation of which is the responsibility of the Federal Chancellery. Young people can actively participate in European youth policy through the EU Youth Dialogue.
  • Youth councils (Landesjugendbeiräte, Jugendgemeinderäte) are also available among the regional and local-level youth parliaments.
  • Activities to promote awareness of children’s rights include activities of the Austrian Federal Chancellery, which provides funding to projects that promote better awareness of children’s rights online. The UNICEF initiative Denk Dir Die Welt – Kreativwettbewerb 2023 also promotes awareness of children’s rights in the digital environment.
  • While there isn’t a government system in place to publish child-friendly versions of policy documents, plain language online safety guides are available at Osterreich.gv.at.

Inclusivity

Digital creativity

  • Activities to stimulate the production and visibility of positive digital content and services for children include Federal Youth Funds.
  • Projects such as EduTube provide high-quality educational content, while the Gütesiegel Lernapps is a quality certificate awarded by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research for digital mobile learning applications that have undergone a standardised evaluation and certification process.
  • Schüler/innenradio is a cooperation project between the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) and the Austrian Public Broadcaster ORF that has been on the air since 1998. As part of the project, young people learn how to use the media to address topics that interest them in a differentiated way.
  • There are also a wide range of activities to encourage children's digital creativity and to promote creative uses of digital technologies, such as the Austrian Youth Prize, the WienXTRA Media Centre, and the Prix Ars Electronica u19 create your world.
  • Events such as coding day, coding week, Safer Internet Day and the hackathon serve this purpose. The opportunities for participation are diverse, and creativity is expressly encouraged.

 

Table 7: Topic summary - pillar 3: active participation, respecting children's rights
 In placeIn developmentNot in placeOther
Activities to promote active participationX   
Laws that mandate youth participationX   
Awareness raising on children’s rightsX   
Inclusiveness regarding active participationX   
Child-friendly versions of policy documents   X
Positive digital contentX   
Activities encouraging digital creativityX   

BIK+ index 2024: Austria

The BIK+ index has been developed to provide an aggregated at-a-glance overview of the levels of implementation across the two dimensions, BIK policies and BIK+ actions, in Austria compared to the EU27+2 average. Values are shown in per cent.

BIK+ index 2024: radar chart for Austria

Please note, the data used in this page and the corresponding country profile was collected in February 2024.

Austria - Policy monitor country profile - 2024
English
(426.83 KB - PDF)
Download
Austria - Policy monitor country profile - 2024
English
(426.83 KB - PDF)
Download

National research and reports

Austria - Policy monitor country profile - 2024
English
(426.83 KB - PDF)
Download

Here, we take an in-depth look at the latest monitoring information for Austria.

BIK policies

Policy design asks whether evidence and research support BIK-related policies and whether systems are in place for monitoring and evaluating those policies.

Policy frameworks

Policy frameworks describe the overarching approach for a better internet, and establish the underlying goals, principles and guidelines that shape individual policies within this area.

In Austria: 

  • This topic is an important and emerging policy priority.
  • It is covered by broader policies rather than separate dedicated policies that address the protection, empowerment, and participation of children and the digital environment.
  • The BIK/BIK+ strategy is not explicitly referred to in national policies but has informed policy development on children and the digital environment.  
  • National/regional policies and policy documents do not refer to children's rights in the digital environment.

 

Table 1: Topic summary - policy frameworks
 HighMediumLowOther
Coverage of BIK+ issues in national policies X  
Integration of policy provision  X 
Influence on the BIK+ strategy X  
Recognition of children's rights  X 

Read the full Policy monitor country profile for detailed information on key national policy frameworks in Austria.

Policy design

Policy design asks whether evidence and research support BIK-related policies and whether systems are in place for monitoring and evaluating those policies.

  • Quantitative data on some aspects of children’s digital activity is collected regularly as part of broader surveys.
  • Information is regularly gathered at the government level to inform policies on children and the digital environment.
  • However, little or no funding for research on children and the digital environment is available.
  • Policies are monitored and evaluated but not systematically. It depends on the needs at a particular time or when policies are being considered.

 

Table 2: Topic summary - policy design
 HighMediumLowOther
Regular data collection X  
Other information supports X  
National research fund  X 
Monitoring and evaluation X  

Read the full Policy monitor country profile for detailed information on recent national research studies in Austria.

Policy governance

Policy governance examines how policies are coordinated at the governmental level, whether other implementation bodies are involved in their delivery, and whether structured mechanisms are available to guide their implementation.

  • The lead ministry, public agency or regulatory authority is an informal arrangement depending on the requirements at a particular point in time.
  • The Federal Chancellery, general directorate Family and Youth leads in this regard.
  • Coordination happens more informally across the different departments and entities that contribute to government policies, guidelines, and programmes regarding children and the digital environment.  
  • Government policy has yet to be developed into an implementable action plan at this point.

 

Table 3: Topic summary - policy governance
 HighMediumLowOther
Lead ministry for policy development X  
National coordination body X  
National action plan or strategy  X 

Read the full Policy monitor country profile for detailed information on key policy governance mechanisms in Austria.

Stakeholder involvement

Stakeholder involvement enquires how different stakeholders can participate in policy development. Children’s involvement in policy-making is one such key issue. Additionally, international knowledge exchange about children's digital participation is also relevant to this topic. 

Regarding national coordination bodies:

  • The Safer Internet Advisory Board advises the Austria Safer Internet Centre initiative and also serves to network with other projects and facilitate information exchange between advisory board members.
  • The Digital Skills Office is a national agency for education and internationalisation within Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD) as part of the "Digital Competence Offensive for Austria". It provides information and tips on dealing competently with risks and using the positive aspects of the internet, mobile phones and computers.

Regarding consultation: 

  • Members of the public are consulted on occasion in the course of the development of new policies. However, this is not always the case.
  • Children and young people are listened to directly in the policy development process (e.g., through hearings, consultations, specific surveys) but are not formally involved in decision-making.
  • Policy makers actively participate in various EU-level and other international inter-governmental groups focused on the topic. 

 

Table 4: Topic summary - stakeholder involvement
 HighMediumLowOther
Stakeholder forum   X
Public consultation X  
Involvement of young people X  
International knowledge exchange

X

   

BIK+ actions

Pillar 1 – safe digital experiences

 Safe digital experiences refer to actions taken to protect children from harmful and illegal online content, conduct, contact, and risks as young consumers and to improve their well-being online through a safe, age-appropriate digital environment created in a way that respects children’s best interests. 

Responses to EU laws

Addressing harmful online content

Addressing harmful online conduct

  • Non-consensual sharing of intimate images is covered under various laws, such as protecting privacy under the General Civil Code (ABGB), the Austrian Criminal Code, and Hate Speech Laws.
  • Laws to protect children and young people from cyberbullying include the Hate Speech on the Internet Act (HiNBG), which was amended by renaming the offence to "persistent harassment using a telecommunication or computer system" (instead of "continued").

Age verification and digital identity systems

  • Apart from the Austrian Audiovisual Media Services Act(AMD-G), which regulates video-sharing platform providers, there are no other national/regional laws, technical standards or policies in place regarding age verification mechanisms to restrict minors from accessing adult online content services.
  • Persons over the age of 14 can apply for an ID Austria. There is also the digital proof of age and the digital school ID card.

 

Table 5: Topic summary - pillar 1: safe digital experiences
 In placeIn developmentNot in placeOther
DSA legislation enactedX   
Codes of practice of digital services X  
Consumer code of practice   X
Definition of harmful content   X
Children’s complaints mechanismX   
Bodies can order content removal X  
Intimate image abuse lawsX   
Cyberbullying lawsX   
Age verification for adult content  X 
Digital identity systemsX   

Pillar 2 – digital empowerment

Digital empowerment incorporates actions so that all children, including those in vulnerable situations, acquire the necessary skills and competences to make sound choices and express themselves in the online environment safely and responsibly.

Supports in formal education

Informal education

There are various activities to reinforce informal education about online safety.

  • Content on the topic of online security is available at Onlinesicherheit.at.
  • In 2023, the Digital Skills Initiative launched the "Digital Skills for All" project to promote safe internet use. The aim is to reach all target groups who do not attend formal learning venues.
  • The Austrian SIC (saferinternet.at) offers a range of workshops for various target groups outside formal education.
  • The Youth Portal brings together the multiple activities of regional governments on informal education.

Empowering through digital skills

  • The Austrian Strategy for Cyber Security (ÖSCS) is the strategic framework for increasing Austria's digital resilience and ensuring cyber security in the digital world. It supports the basic requirements for creating secure and value-adding digitalisation. 
  • The Ministry of Finance promotes the training and development of digital skills through the Austrian Youth Strategy and the Digital Skills Initiative.
  • The violence prevention program Click & Check is concerned with promoting responsible use of digital media. Particular attention is paid to developing action strategies and promoting legal certainty in the daily use of the internet, particularly in the area of social media.
  • Cyber Kids is a computer course for children, parents, and educators focused on digital literacy for 8-10 and 10-12-year-olds.
  • ZARA: Digitale Zivilcourage offers various activities that encourage bystanders to challenge online hate speech and to develop digital 'civil courage' (e.g., speaking up against a victim's bullies, perpetrators, or harassers).

 

Table 6: Topic summary - pillar 2: digital empowerment
 In placeIn developmentNot in placeOther
Teaching online safetyX   
Online safety policies in schoolsX   
Adequate teacher trainingX   
Informal education about online safetyX   
Peer-to-peer training in online safetyX   
Support for digital literacy skillsX   
Children’s media literacyX   
Challenge hate speech/digital civil courageX   

Pillar 3 – active participation, respecting children’s rights

Active participation, respecting children’s rights, refers to actions which give children and young people a say in the digital environment, with more child-led activities to foster innovative and creative safe digital experiences.

Active participation

  • The Federal Youth Council acts as the legally anchored representation of the interests of all children and young people. The Federal Youth Representation Act regulates its tasks, the implementation of which is the responsibility of the Federal Chancellery. Young people can actively participate in European youth policy through the EU Youth Dialogue.
  • Youth councils (Landesjugendbeiräte, Jugendgemeinderäte) are also available among the regional and local-level youth parliaments.
  • Activities to promote awareness of children’s rights include activities of the Austrian Federal Chancellery, which provides funding to projects that promote better awareness of children’s rights online. The UNICEF initiative Denk Dir Die Welt – Kreativwettbewerb 2023 also promotes awareness of children’s rights in the digital environment.
  • While there isn’t a government system in place to publish child-friendly versions of policy documents, plain language online safety guides are available at Osterreich.gv.at.

Inclusivity

Digital creativity

  • Activities to stimulate the production and visibility of positive digital content and services for children include Federal Youth Funds.
  • Projects such as EduTube provide high-quality educational content, while the Gütesiegel Lernapps is a quality certificate awarded by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research for digital mobile learning applications that have undergone a standardised evaluation and certification process.
  • Schüler/innenradio is a cooperation project between the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) and the Austrian Public Broadcaster ORF that has been on the air since 1998. As part of the project, young people learn how to use the media to address topics that interest them in a differentiated way.
  • There are also a wide range of activities to encourage children's digital creativity and to promote creative uses of digital technologies, such as the Austrian Youth Prize, the WienXTRA Media Centre, and the Prix Ars Electronica u19 create your world.
  • Events such as coding day, coding week, Safer Internet Day and the hackathon serve this purpose. The opportunities for participation are diverse, and creativity is expressly encouraged.

 

Table 7: Topic summary - pillar 3: active participation, respecting children's rights
 In placeIn developmentNot in placeOther
Activities to promote active participationX   
Laws that mandate youth participationX   
Awareness raising on children’s rightsX   
Inclusiveness regarding active participationX   
Child-friendly versions of policy documents   X
Positive digital contentX   
Activities encouraging digital creativityX   

BIK+ index 2024: Austria

The BIK+ index has been developed to provide an aggregated at-a-glance overview of the levels of implementation across the two dimensions, BIK policies and BIK+ actions, in Austria compared to the EU27+2 average. Values are shown in per cent.

BIK+ index 2024: radar chart for Austria

Please note, the data used in this page and the corresponding country profile was collected in February 2024.

Austria - Policy monitor country profile - 2024
English
(426.83 KB - PDF)
Download
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