Better Internet for Kids

The EU Youth Strategy (2019-2027) encourages more young people to participate in democratic life (e.g. discuss publicly or actively online things that are important for everybody, vote in elections). The EU wants to support young people so they know about their rights, and have the skills and necessary resources to play an active part in society.

(Source: EC Compendium of BIK-related legislation).
 

The objective of the European Child Guarantee is to prevent and combat social exclusion by guaranteeing effective access of children in need to a set of key services:

In 2022, the Commission proposed a list of digital rights and principles, so daily online life for everyone in the EU is better and safer. They say that people should be free to make their choices online and participate in online discussions and other activities. The internet should become a safer and more secure place, especially for children.

In June 2021 the Commission adopted a proposal for a European Digital Identity. EU citizens and residents should have a right to a European Digital Identity wallet that is safe, free, convenient to use, and protects personal data. This would apply to children according to national law, and also to businesses. The wallet will allow a child e.g. to prove his or her age without revealing other personal data. It gives users control over what data they want to share about themselves, and with whom.

The Federal Act against Unfair Competition (UWG) is one of the legal frameworks regulating influencer-based marketing in Austria.
(Source: BIK Policy Monitor 2024).

Entities responsible for the implementation:
Federal Chancellery Republic of Austria/Bundeskanzleramt Österreich

The Federal Youth Funding allocates funding for three key priority areas: competencies and qualifications, intergenerational dialogue, and well-being and quality of life.  
(Source: Website).

Entities responsible for implementation:
Federal Chancellery Republic of Austria, Department of Youth Policy/Bundeskanzleramt Österreich, Abteilung Jugendpolitik

The Federal Youth Representation Act (B-JVG), which was put into force in 2001, concerns the participation of children and young people in decision-making processes in the country. It guarantees by law that their voices and opinions are heard.
(Source: Website).

Entities responsible for implementation: Federal Chancellery Republic of Austria/Bundeskanzleramt Österreich.

The Flemish Media Decree is the foundational legal framework for audiovisual media in Flanders. It designates the Vlaamse Regulator voor de Media (VRM) as the independent supervisory authority for audiovisual media, including the enforcement of the DSA and AVMSD. The decree covers protection of minors, advertising, commercial communication, accessibility, and platform regulation. VRM monitors compliance, imposes sanctions, and participates in national and European regulatory cooperation.

(Source: VRM)

The Framework Decision aims to guarantee that major forms of racism and xenophobia are punishable as crimes in the EU. In particular, Member States are obliged to make it a crime to publicly provoke violence or hate against a person or group of persons because of their race, colour, religion, descent or national or ethnic origin (hate speech). The Framework Decision also makes courts consider any racist and xenophobic motive when they decide about the punishment (hate crime).

Children can be the target of hate speech or hate crimes, both on-line and off-line.

The Framework Educational Programme for Primary Education (FEP) is a key document that defines the structure, content and objectives of education at the 1st stage (grades 1–5) and 2nd stage (grades 6–9) of primary schools and the corresponding grades of multi-year grammar schools. It is binding for all primary schools and also plays an important role in the individual education of pupils.

(Source: Ministry of Education)

Entities responsible for implementation: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports