Better Internet for Kids

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

According to the Digital Decade 2025: Country reports, Malta’s digital landscape is defined by exceptional infrastructure and a highly performing digital economy, positioning the country as a leader in several key European metrics. Malta has already achieved 100% coverage for both 5G and Very High-Capacity Networks, while its Fibre-to-the-Premises rollout reached 86% in 2024, significantly exceeding the EU average. Malta has a thriving ICT sector that accounts for 10% of the nation’s Gross Value Added – nearly double the EU average. Business digitalisation is equally strong, with 81.3% of SMEs reaching basic digital intensity and 17.3% adopting artificial intelligence, though skill shortages persist despite ICT specialists matching the EU employment average. On the human capital side, 63% of citizens possess at least basic digital skills, with a unique positive gender gap: women slightly outperform men. While digital proficiency is nearly universal among youth (96%), it remains a challenge for older generations. According to the State of the Digital Decade Eurobarometer 2025, public sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with 80% of citizens agreeing that digitalisation simplifies daily life. However, there is an overwhelming demand for public authorities to address online disinformation, cyberbullying, and the protection of minors. Malta’s extensive policy framework includes the "Malta Diġitali" strategy and the National AI Strategy, focusing on human-centric transformation, ethical governance through the Malta Digital Innovation Authority, and embedding digital literacy across all education levels through 2030.

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

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 Malta:

• This topic is being comprehensively addressed with children’s protection, empowerment and participation in the digital environment incorporated into 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 is an important influence on policy development on children and the digital environment.

• National/regional policies and policy documents explicitly recognise children's rights in 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 Malta:

• 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. 
• Systems are 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. 
• Policies undergo systematic and regular monitoring and evaluation to assess the effectiveness of actions in different contexts (for instance, to take account of new technologies or emergent risks). 

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 Malta:

• 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.
• There is a defined national action plan on children and the digital environment with accountabilities such as defined timelines, assigned responsibilities or key performance indicators (KPIs). 

Stakeholder involvement

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

In Malta:

• 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. 
• Members of the public are regularly and routinely consulted as part of the policy development for BIK topics. There is broad, inclusive, and transparent engagement, with feedback actively shaping policy outcomes. 
• Children are actively involved in the design of policies related to their participation in the digital environment. There are specially designed structures in place for this purpose. 

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

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 Malta.

Read the full 2026 edition of the Policy monitor report.

BIK+ index 2026: Malta   

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 Malta 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.