Policy frameworks

Bulgaria has addressed in part the European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children (BIK) in national public policies. BIK-related issues are incorporated within the National Strategy for the Child 2008-2018, and in the annual Programmes for Child Protection of the State Agency for Child Protection. In each case, pillars of the BIK strategy are addressed as part of broader policies.

Policy design

=Policy design is located within one to three 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

The Safer Internet Centre has the primary role in carrying out activities and implementing BIK policy in Bulgaria. Public agencies and universities/research centres also play a complementary role. There are no specific arrangements for children to be consulted or involved in BIK-related issues. There is no regular data collection to support the development of BIK-related policy in Bulgaria.

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.