Better Internet for Kids

The Local Government Act obliges municipalities to set up a youth council and ensure that it operates properly. According to Section 26 of the Act, Youth councils must be given the opportunity to influence the planning, preparation, execution and monitoring of the activities of the municipality’s different areas of responsibility in matters of importance to the well-being, health, education, living environment, housing or mobility of the municipality’s residents and also in other matters that the youth council considers to be significant for children and young people.

The Long-term Plan for Education and the Development of the Education System of the Czech Republic 2023–2027 provides integrated measures to support digital well-being and cybersecurity in schools. The plan emphasizes cross-cutting measures such as sustainability education, digital learning, artificial intelligence, support for students with insufficient language proficiency, well-being, mental health, safe environments, physical activity, and equal opportunities. 

In Finland, gambling is regulated by the Lotteries Act. The purpose of the Lotteries Act is to ensure the legal protection of players, prevent misuse and crime and reduce the economic, social and health-related harm resulting from gambling.

The Malta Diġitali Strategy sets out the national strategy for 2022-2027 and highlights how Malta intends to maintain its momentum as a leader in digital transformation while remaining mindful of social and economic opportunities and challenges that arise. It sets out how Government shall act not only in its traditional role as policy maker, promoter and regulator, but also as a catalyst for change through digitalisation alongside other social and economic actors. 
(Source: Malta Diġitali).

The Parental Control Mandate for internet-connected devices in France requires all such devices sold in Franceto include built-in parental control features.  Law of 2 March 2022, known as Studer's law and its implementing decree of 11 July 2023 thus establish new obligations for economic operators involved in the manufacture, distribution and sale of connected devices. This new requirement is part of a broader effort to safeguard minors from excessive or harmful screen time, as well as to ensure greater awareness among parents about available digital safety tools.

The Danish Consumer Ombudsman has published guidelines regarding marketing towards children and minors, including guidelines and recommendations on the labelling of commercial content.

The Master Plan for Digitalisation aims at implementing digital transformation in the Austrian educational system. It sets three fundamental action areas related to teaching, training and school infrastructure.
(Source: Masterplan Digitalisierung).

Entities responsible for implementation:
Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research/Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung

The Media Act was introduced into the General Civil Code (ABGB) in 2024. It has a section on the right to privacy, including rights and compensations for minors.
(Source: Mediengesetz).

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

Under Iceland's Media Act No 38/2011, the Media Commission is given responsibility for promoting media literacy and protecting children from harmful content online or in the media, including potentially harmful commercial content such as content promoting harmful substances (Article 28) and protecting children against inappropriate advertisements and online shopping (Article 38).
(Source: BIK Policy Monitor 2024).

Entities responsible for implementation: The Icelandic Media Commission.

 

Through media and information literacy (MIL), students learn to become responsible citizens in a society marked by the multiplication and acceleration of information flows. They develop their critical thinking and are able to act in an informed manner to seek, receive, produce and disseminate information via increasingly diverse media. Media and information literacy (EMI) is part of the common core of knowledge, skills and culture, the citizenship pathway and the artistic and cultural education pathway.