Better Internet for Kids

The Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ), part of the Portuguese Safer Internet Centre, took centre stage at Portugal’s two largest education and youth events in March 2026 (Futurália in Lisbon and Qualifica in Oporto), bringing digital citizenship and online safety to the forefront of national conversations about young people’s futures.

A new digital citizenship programme for fifth and sixth class pupils is now available to primary schools in Ireland. Switched On has been developed by Webwise in collaboration with and supported by Coimisiún na Meán. The programme supports teachers in helping pupils become safe, responsible and confident digital citizens as they prepare for the transition to post-primary school.

The National Audiovisual Institute (KAVI) and the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) merged at the start of the year to form the new Finnish Arts and Culture Agency. The merger will not result in any changes to services, although some contact information may change. 

The All Digital Week was held at the Microsoft Innovation Hub in Brussels on 10 March 2026. The launch event brought together policymakers, educators, digital inclusion practitioners, and youth organisations to reflect on how Europe can foster healthier, safer, and more inclusive digital environments.

The Better Internet for Kids (BIK) Policy monitor continues to serve as a key reference for understanding how European countries are shaping a safer and more empowering digital world for children and young people. Now in its seventh edition, the 2026 report builds on over a decade of comparative policy tracking, providing valuable insights into the national implementation of the European strategy for a Better Internet for Kids (BIK+), four years after its adoption.

Today and tomorrow, the Insafe and INHOPE networks are meeting in Jurmala, Latvia, to explore areas of common ground and opportunities for closer working between helplines, hotlines, and awareness centres in a two-day joint training meeting. It is also an opportunity to discuss a range of online safety issues, including the latest developments in AI and AI companions/chatbots, deepnudes, gamification in educational work, as well as the latest updates about the Digital Services Act (DSA) and trusted flaggers.

Nigeria joined the global celebrations of Safer Internet Day 2206 with an event at Onike girls’ junior school in Lagos. The theme of the day was “Smart tech, safe choices – exploring the safe and responsible use of AI”.

On 11 February 2026, Fundación Vida Segura joined the global celebrations of Safer Internet Day (SID) with a series of impactful initiatives aimed at promoting digital safety, privacy, and responsible online behaviour in Panama. Through live discussions, a peer-to-peer social media campaign, and national radio mentions, the foundation reached a broad audience, fostering awareness and action for a safer digital environment.

On 10 February 2026, the world marked Safer Internet Day, which aims to promote the safe, responsible, and positive use of the internet - especially for children and young people - and serves to raise public awareness about online safety and a culture of mutual respect on the internet. In Georgia, SID was celebrated with a conference.

Tuesday, 10 February saw the celebration of Safer Internet Day 2026 across the world. The theme for this year’s SID in the UK was “Smart tech, safe choices – exploring the safe and responsible use of AI”. The campaign saw many come together to help inspire a national conversation about using AI technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and safely.