Better Internet for Kids

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

According to the Digital Decade 2025: Country reports, Bulgaria’s digital landscape in 2025 showed a strong performance in infrastructure and sector growth alongside significant challenges in human capital and research investment. A critical area for Bulgaria is its digital skills gap; only 35.5% of the population possesses basic digital skills, well below the EU average of 55.6%. This gap extends to public services, where only one-third of citizens use e-government tools due to limited online availability and exclusion in remote areas. Regarding public sentiment towards digitalisation, according to the State of the Digital Decade Eurobarometer 2025, 84% want secure digital infrastructure prioritised, and 90% demand urgent action on online child safety. In relation to BIK topics, policy development is fragmented across different institutions, with initiatives and measures emerging within individual policy domains rather than under a unified strategic or governance framework led by a designated authority.

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

Read the full 2026 edition of the Policy monitor report.

BIK policies

This concerns how national-level policies relevant to the BIK agenda are organised, managed, and supported by evidence and stakeholder input.

Policy frameworks

Policy frameworks describe the overarching goals that shape policies for a better internet for kids. 

In Bulgaria:

• This topic is present in national/regional laws, regulations and policies, but it is not a priority.
• This topic is covered by broader policies rather than in separate dedicated policies. Not all elements may be covered.
• The BIK+ strategy informs national policies but is not the main influence.
• Children’s rights in the digital environment are implied rather than explicitly recognised in policies. While they are becoming more visible in national policies, but children’s rights still lack explicit recognition within a dedicated legal framework.

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.

In Bulgaria:

• Surveys of children’s digital activities are undertaken, but only irregularly.
• Some but not all aspects of children’s experiences of risks, harms and digital well-being are included in regular surveys.
• Information to support policy development is irregular and ad hoc. 
• There are occasional special initiatives to gather evidence about children and the digital environment. 
• Monitoring and evaluation are ad hoc, infrequent and not systematic.

Policy governance

Policy governance examines how policies are coordinated at the governmental level, whether other implementation bodies are involved in their delivery and coordination.

In Bulgaria:

• There is no specific leadership in policy development on this topic.  
• Policy coordination and implementation are spread across multiple entities without a clear central coordination mandate or mechanism.
• There is no action plan available or under development.

Stakeholder involvement

Stakeholder involvement enquires how different stakeholders can participate in policy development.

In Bulgaria:

• Stakeholder participation in policy discussion and development is infrequent or informal. 
• There are no formal mechanisms or practices for consulting the public on BIK topics. 
• Children are listened to directly in the policy development process but are not formally involved in decision-making.
  

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

Read the full 2026 edition of the Policy monitor report.

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.

Pillar 2 – digital empowerment

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

Pillar 3 – active participation, respecting children’s rights

This includes actions that promote young people's active participation and respect for their rights through such activities as fostering innovative and creative safe digital experiences for young people and ensuring they have a say in policies governing the digital environment.

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

Read the full 2026 edition of the Policy monitor report.

BIK+ index 2025: Bulgaria

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 Bulgaria compared to the EU27+2 average. Values are shown in per cent.

Please note, the data used in this page and the corresponding country profile was collected in January 2026.