Better Internet for Kids

Safer Internet Day conference and EU Kids Online 2025 results 

On Safer Internet Day, the Estonian Union for Child Welfare, together the with University of Tartu and Elisa, organised a conference "From online hate to an AI literacy: opportunities and risks on the internet" (Veebivihast tehisaru-teadlikkuseni: interneti võimalused ja riskid). The conference took place at the Nordic Hotel Forum in Tallinn and was broadcasted online. The preliminary results of the 2025 EU Kids Online Estonia survey and interview study were made public and presented at the conference.

In the third EU Kids Online 2025 study, the focus was on Estonian students’ use of digital technologies and the internet, digital literacy, risks associated with online use, and parental mediation of internet use. New topics examined in the study include students’ mental wellbeing and its links to internet use, the ways, reasons and experiences related to the use of artificial intelligence, as well as attitudes towards new technologies. A total of 2,474 students from grades 3–9 in 52 schools participated in the survey study, and 16 young people aged 13–17 took part in AI-related interviews.

The conference presentations and panel discussions focused primarily on young people’s digital activities and their exposure to online risks, students’ awareness of artificial intelligence, and the role of parents and schools in guiding internet and AI use. The conference featured presentations by members of the EU Kids Online research group, experts, and youth representatives from Estonian SIC youth panel. The recording of the conference with presentations and the EU Kids Online 2025 survey results is available. 

Cybersecurity testing event CyberPin 2026 

The Tallinn University of Technology invited schools to participate in the event CyberPin 2026. It took place from 10 February to 31 March 2026 and was aimed at students in grades 1–6. This year’s topics were about digital world terminology, what is shown in the picture, safety in games, coping with manipulative design on the internet, recognising the correct brand, and artificial intelligence and safety. Each school level had age-appropriate questions. So far, more than 4000 students from 132 schools have participated in the event. Results of the testing event will be published in April. 

Awareness-raising activities in schools, kindergartens, libraries and youth centres 

The Estonian Safer Internet Centre invited kindergartens, schools, youth centres, and libraries in Estonia to celebrate Safer Internet Day by organising thematic events in their organisations or institutions in February for children and young people to raise their digital and media competencies.

The Estonian Union for Child Welfare, together with various stakeholders, compiled and published awareness-raising materials for children, parents and teachers (lesson plans, videos, guides), which can be used in awareness-raising activities. Also, different case scenarios related to the children´s use of the internet together with thematic articles from the Estonian helpline, web-police, data Inspectorate were published. In February, 41 events for 4316 participants (mainly children and students) were registered on the webpage www.targaltinternetis.ee. 

Poster competition for students 

On Safer Internet Day, the Estonian Union for Child Welfare invited students to participate in the poster competition “Smartly on the internet: what to do if…”. The aim of the competition is to encourage students to think, discuss, and find smart solutions to situations that may occur on the internet.

The students’ task is to create a poster that presents one situation in the style of “What to do if…”, for example: if someone shares a picture without permission, if someone says something hurtful online, if a stranger calls, etc. The competition is open until 31 March 2026.

The results of the competition, together with awareness-raising posters made by students, will be published on the Estonian Safer Internet Centre webpage www.targaltinternetis.ee. 

Find out more about Safer Internet Day in Estonia. Alternatively, find more information about the work of the Estonian Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline, and youth participation services, or find similar information for other Safer Internet Centres throughout Europe.