Better Internet for Kids

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

Estonia is recognised as a global leader in digital public services with a strong digital economy. According to the Digital Decade 2025: Country reports, basic digital intensity among Estonian SMEs reached 71.2%, which is slightly below the EU average, but the country excels as a European frontrunner in cloud uptake at 52.6%. The ICT sector remains a cornerstone of the economy, contributing 5.9% to the GDP and employing one of the highest shares of business R&D personnel in the EU at 45.29%. Regarding human capital, 63.2% of Estonians possess at least basic digital skills, significantly surpassing the EU average, and the share of ICT specialists in total employment is high at 6.8%. According to the State of the Digital Decade Eurobarometer 2025, public sentiment remains overwhelmingly positive, with 83% of citizens stating that digitalisation simplifies their lives, although there is a strong demand for urgent government action on online child safety and cyberbullying. 

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

Read the full 2026 edition of the Policy monitor report.[BON1] 

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 Estonia:

• This topic is an important and emerging policy priority partially covered in national/regional laws, regulations and policies.
• There are separate, dedicated policies which address the topic of children and the digital environment (protection, empowerment, and participation).

• 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 regarding children and the digital environment.

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 Estonia:

• Quantitative data on some aspects of children’s digital activity is collected regularly as part of broader surveys.
• Regular (e.g., annual or bi-annual) surveys include measures of children’s experiences of risks, harms and digital well-being.
• There is no system in place at the government level to gather information on children and the digital environment.
• Existing regular national research funding is available for research on children and the digital environment, but this is not explicitly specified.
• 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 Estonia:

• Policy development sits across different ministries with leadership officially distributed according to the area of specialisation.
• A clearly defined, formal coordination mechanism exists (e.g., task force, steering committee) with a clear mandate. It systematically engages all relevant stakeholders and ensures coherent, cross-cutting policy development and implementation related to children and the digital environment.
• Government policy has yet to be developed into an implementable action plan at this point, but this is under development.

Stakeholder involvement

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

In Estonia:

• A formal, designated multi-stakeholder forum is in place that consistently engages all relevant stakeholder groups (e.g., government, civil society, private sector, academia, children, and caregivers) and plays a meaningful role in policy discussion and development.
• The public is consulted during the development of new BIK policies. While engagement is structured and meaningful, it is event-driven and does not occur outside of major policy formulation efforts.

• Children’s interests are considered indirectly (for example, through analysis of existing surveys or data collections)

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

Read the full 2026 edition of the Policy monitor report.[BON2] 

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.

In Estonia:

Table 1: Safe digital experiences - Estonia

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.

In Estonia:

Table 2: Digital empowerment - Estonia

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.

In Estonia:

Table 3: Active participation, respecting rights - Estonia

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

Read the full 2026 edition of the Policy monitor report.[BON3] 

BIK+ index 2026: 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.

Figure 1: BIK+ index 2026: Estonia - EU27+2 average comparison

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