Better Internet for Kids

How can we introduce digital safety with children in a way that feels fun and engaging? In Sweden, the Safer Internet Centre and the Swedish Agency for the Media (awareness centre) have joined forces with Story House Egmont to create a unique themed issue of the beloved comic book Donald Duck, focusing entirely on children’s online safety.

On 16 September, Directorate General for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport held a youth policy dialogue on cyberbullying to exchange views and hear the perspectives and priorities of young people on how the European Union can develop an action plan against cyberbullying. Participants addressed key issues and provided recommendations to help the European Union tackle cyberbullying.

The study "Safe internet use and parents" conducted by the Centre for Social Informatics at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Ljubljana in the summer of 2024 shows that a significant proportion of Slovenian parents do not adhere to professional recommendations regarding the age at which children should access the internet, and the extent of daily internet use.

Cyberbullying is growing fast across Europe, but policymakers still lack a shared definition to track and tackle it effectively. A new Joint Research Centre (JRC) science for policy brief analyses existing definitions and various elements of cyberbullying across academic literature and policy documents. Urgent action is needed to better define, monitor and combat the phenomenon.

The SID Awards in Ireland celebrate the creativity and dedication of students and schools who champion safer, more responsible, and empowering uses of the internet and digital technology.

Young people from Lithuania and Latvia came together to rethink how we live online. Guided by media experts, NGO representatives, and facilitators from Langas į ateitį (part of SIC Lithuania), they created educational games, social media campaigns, and shared their vision for a healthier internet.

C-DAYS is a flagship event in the field of cybersecurity in Portugal. It is organised annually by the National Cybersecurity Centre (CNCS) and provides a platform for collective reflection and knowledge sharing on important topics related to digital security.

The newest KIM Study has been published in June. The study shows that more than half of 6 to 13-year-old children are online every day. This means that the intensive use of digital services is shifting into primary school age - often including the use of social media. Against this backdrop, questions of parental guidance and age-appropriate services are becoming increasingly important.

Representatives of the Czech Safer Internet Centre recently met with Commissioner Glenn Micallef, and discussed child online safety in the context of the action plan on cyberbullying.

The German child helpline “Nummer gegen Kummer” is celebrating 45 years of counselling this year. Since 1980, they have been there to offer reliable support for children, youths, parents and caregivers. Counselling is anynymous, confidential, and free of charge.