Policy frameworks

BIK Map - UK - Framework

The United Kingdom has addressed most aspects of the European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children (BIK) through a number of national public policies which directly address BIK-related issues. While almost all of the five fields of the BIK strategy have been addressed by public policy in the UK, BIK is not explicitly recognised in this, and the area of stimulating positive content online is not a public policy. In the area of online safety in schools, Keeping Children Safe in Education (2016) covers safety inspections in schools and requires the teaching of safeguarding, including online safety. In England, the Computing Curriculum and in Wales, the Digital Competency Framework, integrates an e-safety element in every key stage of teaching. The Digital Economy Act 2017 introduced a range of measures to strengthen tools and regulation for a safer online environment while the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 added new measures to deal with so-called revenge porn.

Policy design

BIK Map - UK - Design

Policy design is distributed across four to six ministries. Policy design is led at ministerial level with coordination facilitated by a multi-stakeholder body with responsibility for BIK. The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) is a group of more than 200 organisations drawn from across government, industry, law, academia and charity sectors that work in partnership to help keep children safe online. The Council was established in 2010 following a review by Professor Tanya Byron discussing, and taking action, on topical issues concerning children's use of the internet. Its Executive Board is made up of key stakeholders, including industry, charities, academics, police, devolved nations, children's services and is chaired by three government ministers (Department for Education, Home Office, and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport). Data collection in areas relevant to BIK includes the annual Ofcom study, Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes. In addition, the UKCCIS Evidence Group in its Research Highlight Series compiles research findings relevant to BIK strategy.

Policy actors

BIK Map - UK - Actors

Activities related to the different pillars of BIK are undertaken by a wide range of stakeholders. Actors across the public and private sectors deliver various programmes and initiatives with high levels of engagement reported. Government ministries and the Safer Internet Centre (SIC) take the lead but with significant contributions by other actors. With regard to youth participation, while consultation and involvement happens, this is not undertaken on a statutory basis. For example, Childnet, an NGO partner in the UK Safer Internet Centre, asked young people to respond to the government's Internet Safety Strategy in April 2017, and have organised roundtables with UKCCIS ministers and young people.

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.

BIK Map - UK - Pillar 1

BIK Map - UK - Pillar 2

BIK Map - UK - Pillar 3

BIK Map - UK - Pillar 4

BIK Map - UK - Pillar 5