The BIK+ Strategy comes 10 years after the original European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children and takes into account a vastly changed digital environment. The new strategy will, according to the Commission, ensure that children are protected, respected and empowered online in the new Digital Decade, in line with the European Digital Principles. A child-friendly version of the BIK+ Strategy is to be made available.
The BIK+ strategy articulates a vision of age-appropriate digital services, with no one left behind and with every child in Europe protected, empowered and respected online. BIK+ proposes actions around three main pillars:
1. Safe digital experiences to protect children from harmful and illegal online content, conduct, contact and consumer risks and to improve their well-being online through a safe, age-appropriate digital environment, created in a way that respects children’s best interests;
2. Digital empowerment so children acquire the necessary skills and competences to make sound choices and express themselves in the online environment safely and responsibly;
3. Active participation, respecting children by giving them a say in the digital environment, with more child-led activities to foster innovative and creative safe digital experiences.
BIK+ observes that keeping an up-to-date knowledge base and monitoring the impact of the digital transformation on children’s well-being is essential for effective policy and for children’s wellbeing.
Evidence-based policymaking and cooperation and coordination at European and international level will be needed if BIK+ is to be effectively implemented.
References to research in the strategy include a commitment to map research into the impact of neuro-marketing on children to assist national consumer authorities to better assess how commercial influencing techniques may be unfair on children.
The Commission also invites industry to allow academic researchers access to relevant data and information on opportunities and risks for children taking into account data protection rules.
The Better internet for Kids Policy Map ‘BIK map tool’ will be adapted to the BIK+ strategy as part of the monitoring of the strategy.
The strategy also refers to new proposed EU legislation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse online also launched on May 11, 2022. The proposal also provides for a new European Centre to prevent and counter child sexual abuse that would facilitate the detection, reporting and removal of child sexual abuse online, provide support to victims, and serve as a hub for knowledge, expertise and research on matters related to the prevention and combating of online child sexual abuse.
A distinctive feature of BIK+ is its focus on children’s participation. Children were actively involved in the consultations contributing to the new strategy. BIK+ now contains a commitment that children will be involved in its implementation and monitoring, fulfilling a strategic aim of the EU strategy on the rights of the child.
External Resources
- Questions & Answers: European strategy for a Better Internet for Kids Questions & Answers: European strategy for a Better Internet for Kids
- Factsheet: European strategy for a Better Internet for Kids Factsheet: European strategy for a Better Internet for Kids
- European strategy for a Better Internet for Kids European strategy for a Better Internet for Kids
- Compendium of relevant legislation Compendium of relevant legislation
