Policy frameworks
Croatia has addressed in part the European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children (BIK) in national public policies. BIK-related issues have been incorporated into the Strategy for Education, Science and Technology (2014) and the National Strategy for Cybernetic Security (2015). In each case, pillars of the BIK strategy are addressed as part of broader policies except in relation to legislation and law enforcement combatting online child sexual abuse and exploitation where it has been specifically addressed within the criminal code.
Policy design
Policy design is distributed across between four to six ministries with no one single agency, ministry or coordinating body for Better Internet for Kids policy. Currently, there is no mechanism to facilitate inter-departmental or inter-agency cooperation on BIK-related issues. Ministries take the lead in relevant education policies for online safety and media literacy and with regard to legislation and law enforcement to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation. Stepping up awareness and empowerment is the responsibility of the Safer Internet Centre (SIC). There is no specific national policy coverage for quality online content for children (Pillar 1) or tools and regulation for an online safe environment (Pillar 4).
Policy actors
Both NGOs and the Safer Internet Centre play a leading role in carrying out activities and implementing BIK policy in Croatia. Since the implementation of the Croatian Safer Internet Centre there has been a constant toll-free confidential helpline for children, teens and parents to get help with online violence as well for any information needed about safety online. Public agencies and universities/research centres also play a complementary role. The SIC, in its implementation phase, carried out a nationwide survey regarding the use of digital technologies by children and their exposure to online violence and cyberbullying. Croatia has also undertaken a national survey as part of EU Kids Online. There are no specific arrangements for children to be consulted or involved in BIK-related issues.
Breadth of activities
Breadth of activities outlines progress made in Member States delivering initiatives at the national level. Using the full range of recommendations contained in the BIK strategy, the following tables highlight which actions are supported and whether they have increased, stayed the same or decreased in prominence in the last three years for each of the BIK pillars.