Better Internet for Kids

On 17 September 2026, the European Commission proposed the EU KIDS Act: one EU-wide set of rules to keep children and teenagers safe online.

The new good practice guide "How to effectively engage parents and caregivers in preventing and responding to cyberbullying" addresses the ongoing challenge of cyberbullying, which accounts for 15% of helpline calls across Europe. Recognising that traditional school outreach often fails to reach less engaged or vulnerable families, the guide provides practical strategies for teachers and Safer Internet Centres to effectively engage parents and caregivers.

Many children with autism love gaming, and for good reasons. Aimed at parents and caregivers, this article explains why games appeal to children with autism, how to tell healthy gaming from a problem, and what you can do if you are concerned.

The Finnish Hotline at Save the Children Finland published a report in autumn 2025 in which children and young people aged 11–17 were asked about sexual messaging among peers and sexual abuse committed by adults online. A total of 4,106 children in Finland responded to the survey. The report “It happens all the time – experiences of 11-to-17-year-old children on online sexual abuse and sexting among peers” is now available in English.

On the occasion of Safer Internet Day, the international day dedicated to a safer internet, the partner organisations of Betternet - the Belgian consortium bringing together Child Focus, Mediawijs, Média Animation and the Conseil supérieur de l'éducation aux médias (CSEM) - in collaboration with the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT), wished to draw attention to the practical implementation and enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) by online platforms.

Internet Sans Crainte, the awareness centre of the French Safer Internet Centre (SIC), is now on Bulle, a French social media platform. The move gives the programme a new channel to reach young people, families and educators. It also draws attention to how the design of online platforms shapes children's experiences online.

Today, another edition of the bi-annual Insafe training meeting kicks off. The event is an opportunity for the Insafe network of European Safer Internet Centres (SICs) to meet to facilitate the sharing of experiences and good practices across the Insafe network. The October 2026 Insafe Training meeting is held online, and includes three mornings of sessions discussing the developments in online safety and the implications for SICs, including the EU KIDS Act, social media bans, and the opportunities, risks and challenges of AI.

How do we see future-ready schools? On 3 October 2026, the eTwinning annual conference 2026 took place in Brussels. Read more from BIK Youth Ambassador Maja's point of view, who participated in the conference and was part of the students' discussion panel, where young people could reflect on the topic of education in the future.

The research Apenstaartjaren examines media use and media literacy in primary and secondary education in Flanders (Belgium). The study combines a large-scale survey of more than 6,000 children (years 1-4 of primary school), pre-teens (years 5-6 of primary school), and young people (secondary education) with qualitative focus groups.

As part of the #NotOnOurFeed youth contest on cyberbullying, young people were invited to share their ideas, experiences and creative perspectives on how we can make the online world a kinder and safer place. The public has voted for the winner!