Better Internet for Kids

Gaming is a favorite pastime for many children and teenagers, but unfortunately also a common source of conflict. Gaming has many fun features that appeal to kids, but videogames are also designed to keep your child’s attention for as long as possible. So, it’s understandable that stopping isn’t easy - especially when you’re in the middle of a game!

INHOPE's global network of hotlines is at the centre of INHOPE's mission and greatest strength. Through 57 members across 52 countries, INHOPE brings together trusted organisations with deep local expertise, working every day to identify, assess and remove child sexual abuse material from the internet. By sharing knowledge, exchanging best practices and collecting data on global trends, the network enables coordinated action that no single organisation could achieve alone.

The Safer Internet Day campaign's day of global celebration took place on 10 February 2026! This global initiative brings together organisations, companies, schools, families, and communities to promote a safer, more positive online experience for everyone. Celebrated in over 160 countries worldwide, this year marks the 23rd edition, under the theme ‘Together for a better internet.’

Today, 10 February 2026, marks the beginning of the Safer Internet Day celebrations worldwide. Each February, stakeholders across the globe join together to make the internet a safer and better place for all, and especially children and young people. To join in the celebrations, new content is available on the BIK Learning corners.

2025 was another landmark year for Better Internet for Kids (BIK), marked by strong policy momentum, deepened youth participation, and sustained efforts across Europe and beyond to create safer, more empowering online environments for children and young people.

The return to school in the new year is an opportunity to commit to adopting good habits for the proper use of technology, both inside and outside the classroom. Families and educators return to the routine after the winter break, and it is in their hands to teach and provide them with proper media education.

The Belgian Safer Internet Centre shares tips on how to support young people in discovering AI - it is important not to avoid it, but to get to know it and use it properly.

The increasing integration of digital technologies into children’s daily lives has brought both opportunities and new challenges. To understand how children interact with peers online and offline, the Croatian Safer Internet Centre Croatia, in partnership with A1 Croatia and the University of Zagreb Faculty of Law, conducted the national study “deSHAME 3: peer relations and violence among children in Croatia”.

Child Focus (part of the Belgian Safer Internet Centre), the private sector, and primary schools across Belgium joined forces in October and March to deliver 410 Internet Safe & Fun workshops. Employees from twelve companies cleared their schedules to teach grade 5-6 primary students some basic notions regarding online safety, particularly around privacy, cyberbullying, sexting, and online friendships. In recent years, Child Focus has seen a sharp increase in reports on online issues. Thanks to the Internet Safe & Fun workshops, hundreds of schools receive free support to strengthen their students’ media literacy.

Several countries, including French-speaking Belgium, are considering banning the use of social media for children and teens under the age of 15. Social media is often cited as the main cause of cyberbullying and, more broadly, mental health issues among young people. It is therefore seen as something children need to be protected from. However, three recent position papers from Betternet partners (the Belgian Safer Internet Centre) Child Focus, Média Animation, the Conseil Supérieur de l’Éducation aux Médias (CSEM), and Mediawijs, point in the same direction: a ban is not the right solution.