Better Internet for Kids bulletin

In this edition of the BIK bulletin, we're focusing on virtual worlds. Following a recent multistakeholder panel discussion, we bring you insights from various perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of this next-generation technology. In addition, we bring you news from the latest round of the BIK Policy Monitor exercise, and insights into considerations for age assurance typologies and requirements for online tools and platforms.  

In this edition of the BIK bulletin, we're focusing on evidence-based campaigning activities as a method for raising awareness of safer and better internet issues and empowering young people - and those who care for them - to thrive online, and embrace the many benefits offered. We bring you news on the new pilot campaign activities AdWiseOnline and MediaSmartOnline (focusing on youth consumer protection online and media literacy respectively).  

In this edition of the BIK bulletin, we're looking back at the main highlights of the year, including the progress made on the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) package, another successful, youth-led edition of the Safer Internet Forum, and as many of us head into the winter break, we bring you some seasonal tips for staying safe online. We also start getting ready for the upcoming Safer Internet Day, on Tuesday, 6 February 2024.

In this edition of the BIK bulletin, with the start of a new school year the focus is on putting “skills centre-stage”, highlighting the importance of equipping children and young people with the competences they need to succeed in an increasingly digitised world. We also invite you to register for Safer Internet Forum (SIF) 2023, and bring you updates on the activities of the BIK Youth Panel and SIF Youth Advisory Group. 

In this edition of the BIK bulletin, we bring you an insight into some of the challenges in defining and identifying vulnerability, alongside a snapshot of some of the excellent initiatives already being implemented by Safer Internet Centres across Europe to protect vulnerable young people in the online space.

This edition previewed the fourth edition of the Better Internet for Kids Policy Map report with a series of country impact case studies - Ireland, Finland, Malta and Germany. It also explored the successes of the celebration of Safer Internet Day 2023 from the European network of Safer Internet Centres and beyond, and provided updates on many new resource launches which helped to mark the day.

This edition reflected back on progress since the launch of the BIK+ strategy, on the youth-led edition of the Safer Internet Forum 2022 and other activities to amplify young voices, and provided some seasonal tips for staying safe online during the winter holidays.

This edition provided a roundup of the Roundtable on child and youth consumer protection in digital markets, news on the Positive Online Content awareness campaign, and invited you to save the date for Safer Internet Day 2023.

In this edition, we introduced you to the new European strategy for a Better Internet for Kids (BIK+). Adopted by the European Commission in May 2022, the strategy builds on previous work to improve age-appropriate digital services and to ensure that every child is protected, empowered and respected online. This edition also examined efforts to support children and young people in dealing with the terrible events in Ukraine.

This edition considered the sexualisation of culture, and of children and young people online. It also looked back at the success of Safer Internet Day 2022, including many instances of youth involvement within the wider context of the European Year of Youth.

This edition recapped the many initiatives and policy developments in the field over the previous year, alongside ongoing work to keep children and young people safe online in 2022... and beyond. It also reflected on Safer Internet Forum 2021, previewed Safer Internet Day 2022, and provided some seasonal tips for staying safe online, along with news and resources from the European network of Safer Internet Centres.

As Safer Internet Forum 2021 approached, this edition of the BIK bulletin was dedicated to the theme of the event: "How to make Europe's Digital Decade fit for children and young people". It also highlighted the results of consultations with children and young people (and other stakeholders) to ensure that the digital world is fit for the future.

This edition considered children's rights in the digital environment and, especially, how we can move from theory towards practice. While the digital revolution has provided many opportunities for child empowerment, participation and expression online, it has also raised some concerns as to how they can exercise their rights in the digital environment.

This edition considered age-appropriate design with youth. Involving children and young people in matters that affect them – giving them meaningful involvement and a voice – should never be considered as optional: they are fundamental rights, which should apply equally offline and online.

This edition looked back on the lessons learned from a successful Safer Internet Forum 2020, with a theme of "Digital (dis)advantage: creating a more inclusive world for children and young people online", reflecting on the opportunities and challenges of being online for children and young people with diverse disabilities, along with a number of policy responses aiming to foster greater accessibility online.

This edition focused on reaffirming Better Internet for Kids (BIK) priorities through a range of actions, reflecting on recent and ongoing work such as the Insafe network's back-to-school activities in times of social distancing and emergency remote teaching and learning, as well as ongoing dynamic research and policy work on children and young people in the digital transformation by a range of stakeholders, and upcoming events and campaigns.

This edition focused on freedom of expression online in the age of disinformation, drawing on a workshop on this topic at a European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) event. Also, as lockdown started to lift across Europe, it reflected back on some of the opportunities and challenges as they related to online safety issues and the coronavirus pandemic from the Insafe and INHOPE networks.

This edition provided a special focus on staying safe online during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This edition looked back on the success of Safer Internet Forum 2019 which considered how we move "From online violence to digital respect", previewed Safer Internet Day 2020, and provided some food for thought on managing new festive tech.

This edition focused on positive online content, as a round-up of the Positive Online Content Awareness Month which ran throughout September 2019. It included the perspectives of the different groups that have a stake in positive online content: young people, parents and carers, teachers and other educational staff, content producers, policymakers and the research community.

This edition focused on online challenges, hearing specifically from Geert Reynders who tragically lost his son Tim to a dangerous online challenge.

This edition focused on media literacy in Europe.

This edition reviewed Safer Internet Forum 2018, previewed Safer Internet Day 2019, and gave some tips for celebrating the festive season safely, online.

This edition placed a special focus on creative learning, the #SaferInternet4EU Awards, and updates on a number of events and campaigns.

This edition focused on hotline issues and trends.

This edition placed a special focus on the BIK Policy Map report, designed to give insight into policy approaches across Europe.

This edition placed a special focus on Safer Internet Forum 2017, the BIK Youth Programme, and a Safer Internet Day 2018 preview.

This edition placed a special focus on positive online content.

This edition placed a special focus on fake news.

This edition placed a special focus on cyberbullying.

This edition placed a special focus on online advertising and the commercialisation of children and young people.

This edition had a special Back2School focus to coincide with the start of the new academic year.

This edition focused on media and information literacy in Europe. A special sub-focus was given to youth as key stakeholders in the internet governance agenda.

This edition focused on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and, specifically, whether it will help to create a better internet for children and young people.

This edition focused on children's rights online.

This edition focused on internet governance.