Better Internet for Kids

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

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 Croatia:

• This topic is an important and emerging policy priority, with children’s online protection, digital empowerment, and digital participation partially covered in national/regional laws, regulations and policies.
• There are separate, dedicated policies that address children and the digital environment (protection, empowerment, and participation).
• 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 explicitly recognise children's rights in the digital environment.

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

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.

• Surveys of children’s digital activities are undertaken but only irregularly (e.g., the EU Kids Online survey data from 2020 is the only available source on a national level).
• There is no system in place at the government level to gather information on children and the digital environment.
• There is little or no funding available for research on children and the digital environment.
• There is no systematic monitoring or evaluation of policies on children and the digital environment.

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

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.

• There is one central body (e.g., a central ministry office, public agency, or regulatory authority) formally mandated to lead and develop policies, guidelines, and programmes related to children and the digital environment.
• There is no coordination mechanism in place: policies, guidelines and programmes relating to children and the digital environment tend to be implemented independently.

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

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.

• There is a designated multi-stakeholder forum in place which facilitates the involvement of all relevant stakeholder groups.
• A system has yet to be established whereby members of the public are routinely consulted when developing new policies.
• Children are listened to directly in the policy development process (e.g., through hearings, consultations, specific surveys) but are not formally involved in decision-making.
• Policymakers actively participate in various EU-level and other international inter-governmental groups related to digital policies for children.

Read the full Policy monitor country profile for detailed information on crucial stakeholder involvement mechanisms in Croatia.

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

• The final draft legislation for the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) has been prepared by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and is about to enter parliamentary procedure.
• The Croatian Implementation Act, among other provisions, designates the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM) as the Digital Services Coordinator. Furthermore, the Implementation Act outlines the coordination among Croatian regulatory bodies for the enforcement and supervision of the DSA.

Addressing harmful online content

• The definition of ‘harmful online content’ does not exist as a definition in Croatian laws. However, the essence of harmful online content is contained in various country-level laws and regulations, which may penalise wrongdoing.
• The online reporting mechanism for child abuse - Red Button - is an official police application and website that allows the reporting of any form of abuse or inappropriate content online ("If you see inappropriate content or abuse of another person, report it immediately").
• The Safer Internet Centre (SIC) Croatia Online operates a hotline for reporting child abuse material and other illegal content.
• CARNET has the service of a content filtering system that disables the display of certain category websites on some or all computers in a CARNET member institution. Each page on the Internet is categorised with respect to the content it offers, and traffic is filtered by choosing categories that are not to be displayed. Pages are continually categorised, and new versions of the database are automatically checked every few hours. At the request of CARNET users, specific pages can also be manually approved or prohibited. Based on the Decision of the Ministry of Science and Education, all primary and high schools in Croatia connected to the CARNET network are automatically included in the filtering system.

Addressing harmful online conduct

• National/regional laws, regulations or policies in place to protect children and young people from intimate image abuse are covered under the Criminal Code, Article 144a "Misuse of a recording of sexually explicit content" (Chapter Fourteen (XIV) - Criminal offenses against privacy). The Criminal Code, Chapter Seventeen (XVII.) – separately defines the criminal acts of sexual abuse and exploitation of children, which also include the aforementioned forms of sharing or misuse of intimate photos of children.
• Regarding cyberbullying, there is a Protocol on the treatment of violence among children, which includes cyberbullying, under which all employees of educational institutions are obliged to report violence to the competent services and take measures of protection in relation to the child.
• The SIC Croatia has developed guidelines for handling cases of electronic violence, noting that this is not a public policy measure but rather a manual developed by an NGO to support educational staff.

Age verification and digital identity systems

• Currently, there are no legal regulations that include age verification mechanisms. Internet service providers, as standard on their sites and services, ask for confirmation of the user's age.
• According to the law on Identity Cards "All Croatian citizens have the right to a Croatian electronic identity card, regardless of their age and regardless of whether or not they have a residence in the Republic of Croatia." The AAI @EduHr system is an authentication and authorisation system of science and higher education in the Republic of Croatia in which every member of the academic and research community in the Republic of Croatia receives his AAI @EduHr electronic identity, i.e., user tag and password, so students of primary and secondary schools and students of higher education institutions.

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

• In 2019, the Ministry of Science and Education issued a decision to adopt a curriculum for the cross-curricular topic of the use of information and communication technology for primary and secondary schools in the Republic of Croatia.
• CARNET and National CERT provide their expertise to teachers in cooperation with the Agency for Education and two times a year give different lectures on topics of cyber security in education for primary and secondary curricula.
• CARNET has also organised a CTF (Capture the Flag) competition in knowledge and skills in cyber security since 2000. This competition is open to all high school teams. Also, for the continuous learning on cyber security topics, CARNET has developed and is maintaining the learning platform.
• Croatia is one of 15 countries that participated in this major project, which, in addition to research, will include a new edition of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), an Online school games course for teachers and instructors, and a new edition of the teacher's manual on the possibilities of using video games in the classroom.

Informal education

• The Croatian SIC, in cooperation with the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, has launched a lifelong education programme titled “benefits and risks of modern technologies.” This year, the programme is expanding to professionals working with older people, who are a particularly vulnerable category when it comes to cybercrime.
• Furthermore, with the support of A1 Croatia, the Croatian SIC has launched a school of responsible influencers. The aim of this online school is to raise influencers' and content creators' awareness of the importance of responsible behaviour in the online world, the importance of recognising and reporting inappropriate content on the Internet and how to report it, and the importance of creating positive online content and positive influence.

Empowering through digital skills

• The BrAIn project is developing a curriculum for seventh and eighth graders in primary school and second and third graders in secondary school. The curriculum will include extracurricular activities and an optional course focused on enhancing students' digital competencies, particularly in the context of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. The activities will involve critical reflection on the impact of emerging technologies and practical application in digital programs and applications, with a focus on cyber security and ethical considerations.
• CARNET’s e-universities project develops digital competencies for implementing hybrid teaching and digital technologies in higher education. The project will create educational content such as e-courses, videos, webinars, and lectures for use in educational activities at higher education institutions.

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 Network of Young Advisers of the Ombudsperson for Children (MMS) is a constant advisory and cooperation body that brings together children and young people from all over Croatia. MMS consists of 25 members, children and young people aged twelve to 18 years. The Ombudsperson for children makes a public call and publishes a competition for MMS members to which every child at least twelve years of age can apply. Their choice is decided by the current MMS members and the Ombudsperson's Office for Children expert team. During the selection of MMS members, children from all parts of Croatia and from various living conditions and situations are represented. MMS members are elected as individuals, not as representatives or representatives of their school, city or county. Membership of the Network (term of office) shall be three years. Members of the Network of Young Counsellors also actively participate in the European Network of Young Counsellors (ENYA).
• As part of its activities, the Ombudsperson for Children raises awareness about and promotes children's rights in the digital environment among children, educators and other professionals who take care of children in the media through various professional gatherings, round tables and meetings with children and experts. Each year, Safer Internet Day is celebrated by a large number of children, educators, and other important stakeholders promoting children's rights in the digital environment.
• The Croatian Data Protection Authority actively organises educational initiatives, specifically workshops, focusing on online safety and safeguarding personal data within the digital realm. These workshops are tailored for children aged ten to 14 years. Additionally, the Croatian Personal Data Protection Agency organises educational activities aimed at teachers and school employees to teach them how to comply with processing personal data with the General Data Protection Regulation. These sessions place a particular emphasis on underscoring the significance of safeguarding children's data in both the physical and virtual spheres.

Inclusivity

• ATTEND – Bridging Gaps for Pupils with Disabilities. The Enhanced Tools for Creating Equal Opportunities in Education for Pupils with Disabilities – ATTEND project addresses the unique needs of students with disabilities in Croatia. By equipping Centres for the upbringing and education of students with disabilities with assistive technology, ATTEND aims to provide a high-quality and inclusive education. The project, worth 4.2 million Euro, spans three years (2021-2024) and encompasses key segments such as technology deployment, staff training, and a public awareness campaign.

Read the full Policy monitor country profile for some best practice examples from Croatia.

BIK+ index 2024: Croatia

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 Croatia 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 February 2024.