Better Internet for Kids

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

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 Estonia:

• 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.
• It is covered by broader policies (e.g., national digital strategy) rather than in separate dedicated policies and/or covers only one or two of the dimensions of 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.
• Children's rights in the digital environment are not explicitly recognised in national policy documents but receive implicit support in policies dealing with children's digital activity.

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

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 to inform policies on children and the digital environment. However, this relies primarily on third-party sources, and there are limited opportunities to commission new data on children’s digital activity.
• Existing national research funding is available for research on children and the digital environment but this is not explicitly specified.
• Policies are monitored and evaluated but not systematically. It depends on the needs at a particular time or when policies are being considered.

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

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.

• Policy development sits across a range of ministries, and there is no lead with specific assigned responsibility for developing government on policies, guidelines and programmes relating to children and the digital environment.
• 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.

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

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.

• Various ad hoc multistakeholder groups exist across different branches of government, in which stakeholders may contribute to policy deliberation and development.
• 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’s interests are considered indirectly (e.g., through analysis of existing surveys and data collections).
• 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 Estonia.

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

• Although the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) is in development, the competent authority is designated Tarbijakaitse ja Tehnilise Järelevalve Amet (Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Agency).

Addressing harmful online content

• Estonian laws or policies do not include an exact definition of harmful online content for children, and there is no classification of it.
• Paragraph 25 of the Child Protection Act contains a ban on manufacturing, showing and disseminating to children printed matter, films, audio and video recordings and objects that promote violence or cruelty.
• The Advertising Act defines what advertising aimed at children must not contain (including online advertising). This includes, among other things, that the advertisement must not create a feeling of inferiority in the child; contain a call for such behaviour or action as a result of which a child is or may be in a dangerous situation; contain elements that frighten a child; take advantage of the child's trust in a parent, teacher or other persons
• The Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority has a right to request restriction of information society services if the information disseminated to the public through information society services incites hatred, violence or discrimination on the basis of nationality, ethnic origin, language, religion or other circumstances.

Addressing harmful online conduct

• National/regional laws, regulations or policies are in place to protect children and young people from intimate image abuse, or the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
• According to Penal Code paragraph 178, it is illegal to create, obtain, store, handle, display, or share any pornographic material depicting a person under eighteen or in an erotic situation under fourteen. Additionally, the Penal Code prohibits the unauthorised transmission of personal data that can identify another person (§ 157'2).
• Regarding cyberbullying, the Violence Prevention Agreement 2021 - 2025 covers the prevention and combating of various forms of interpersonal violence. The agreement is based on the country's long-term strategies, "Estonia 2035"and "Basic principles of criminal policy until 2030." One of the main focuses is the prevention and intervention of violence against children, including violence in digital environments.

Age verification and digital identity systems

• According to the Act to Regulate Dissemination of Works which Contain Pornography or Promote Violence or Cruelty, works of adult content shall be offered to prevent minors' access.
• The online platform offering adult content managed in Estonia must have a corresponding warning that you must be at least 18 years old to use the website and that anyone under 18 year is not allowed to use and/or visit the website. Also, the content must not be visible on the home page.
• According to the Identity Documents Act in the Republic of Estonia, the identity document is a digital identity card issued by a state authority. An Estonian citizen under the age of 15 does not have to have an identity card. ID-card can be used to log in to e-services, such as an online bank, e-kool (e-school). Also use e- voting, since 2020 Estonian nationals, European Union nationals and foreigners who reside in Estonia on the basis of a long-term residence permit or a right of permanent residence who have reached 16 years of age can vote in local government council elections.

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 the national curriculum of Estonian Elementary and High School, one of the general competences is digital competence, which is defined as the ability to: find and store information using digital tools, evaluate its relevance and reliability; participate in digital content creation, including the creation and use of text, images, multimedia; use suitable digital problem-solving tools and methods; communicate and cooperate in different digital environments; be aware of the dangers of the digital environment and know how to protect one’s privacy, personal data and digital identity; follow the same moral and value principles in the digital environment as in everyday life.
• According to the Act on Elementary and Secondary Schools, the school ensures the student's mental and physical safety and health protection during his stay at the school. According to the aforementioned law, the school has rules of procedure, which the principal establishes. The school's rules of procedure and amendments are submitted to the school's board of trustees and the student council for an opinion before being established.

Informal education

• In the context of the organisation of Estonian youth work, the municipality and the state are partners. The state creates a legal and strategic framework and supports municipalities in developing priority topics and ensuring services, but the main organisational level of youth work is local government.
• The field is managed by the Ministry of Education and Research and its implementing agency, the Education and Youth Board. Youth work and youth associations operating as umbrella organisations in the field are important partners for the Ministry in managing youth work.
• In the years 2022-2024, several youth associations will be the Ministry of Education and Research's strategic partners in youth work. At the local level, municipalities support youth initiatives, which may include activities that promote digital skills and safe online behaviour of young people and children. 

Empowering through digital skills

• One of the important strategic goals of the Education Development Plan 2021–2035 is learner-centred and forward-looking learning, the focus of which is smart learning software and methodology supporting both learning and teaching; one of the prerequisites for its implementation is the development of learners' digital competence.
• The learner's digital competence model describes the necessary basic skills. It helps to understand and define different aspects of digital competence and to shape and evaluate students' digital competences. The model was prepared by an expert group led by the Education and Youth Board in cooperation with the Estonian Educational Technologists Union.
• Media Literacy Week is held every year under the coordination of the Ministry of Education and Research, within the framework of various institutions that organise educational and informational events to promote digital literacy.

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 Youth Sector Development Plan 2021-2035  states that active youth civic participation is supported, and the following directions of action have been defined for this purpose: creating prerequisites for the growth of young people's trust and attachment to the country; youth participation and hearing of opinion at all levels of government; empowering young people's civic activity.
• Through national support programs, the state supports the activities of local governments to increase the availability of youth work and ensure better quality services in youth-related institutions. At different levels, it is a widespread practice to delegate to civil associations the tasks of practical implementation of youth work.

Inclusivity

• The leading principle of Estonian educational organisation is inclusive education, which ensures that every child receives an educational arrangement tailored to their abilities and needs. Youth work is based on the principles that every young person should have the opportunity to choose a suitable activity, meet peers with similar interests, and experience a sense of belonging and cooperation. The organisation of youth work revolves around the young person, their interests, and needs, and aims to provide a safe environment for them to test their abilities.
• The child-friendly version of the European Strategy on Better Internet for Kids (BIK+) in Estonian is available on the website of the Estonian Safer Internet Centre (SIC).

Digital creativity

• Age-appropriate and developmental digital content for children is created by organisations from various sectors, including non-profit organisations and private companies. The public sector has also supported these initiatives, mainly non-profit organisations.
• Thus, the national broadcaster's web portal also has a section for children, which offers age-appropriate content and activities.
• The state has provided additional funds to support municipalities under §15'1 of the Youth Employment Act since 2017. This aims to increase access to hobby activities and informal education for young people and offer more diverse participation opportunities. The support also extends to programs encouraging children’s digital creativity and use of digital technologies.

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

BIK+ index 2024: Estonia

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 Estonia 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.