Child Protection on the Internet
HAKOM continually carries out activities aimed at safeguarding children and young people when using electronic communications services, particularly the internet.
Through close cooperation with civil society organisations, operators, educational institutions and other relevant stakeholders, HAKOM works to increase public awareness of responsible and safe online behaviour, while also helping to improve conditions within the electronic communications market to ensure a safer digital environment for children. In order to support better coordination and stronger collaboration among all involved parties, HAKOM has established an Advisory Mechanism for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment, which will serve as a platform for exchanging information and launching coordinated initiatives in the field of child protection in the digital environment.
Each February, in cooperation with operators and partner organisations, HAKOM marks Safer Internet Day. As part of this initiative, brochures containing essential guidance for staying safe online are distributed to all Year 5 pupils in primary schools across Croatia, addressing both children and their parents.
An educational video on protecting children online has also been released and is available on our YouTube channel. The video’s central message emphasises the importance of building trust between children and adults, with particular focus on the support that children should always receive from their parents. In addition, a Privacy Calculator application has been launched, allowing users to assess potential risks to their privacy when using the internet and sharing personal information.
HAKOM, as the national Digital Services Coordinator, oversees the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to ensure the safe use of online services for all users, in particular children and young people. Among other things, under the DSA all very large online platforms (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok) and online search engines (Google, Bing) are required to ensure that their services provide children and young people with a high level of privacy, safety and protection (e.g. the removal of illegal and inappropriate content, protection against unwanted contacts, parental control settings, age-verification systems, child-friendly complaint and reporting mechanisms…).
Education - From Pupils to Parents
As part of our project on protecting children online, our experts are pleased to accept invitations from schools, associations, and other organisations to deliver presentations and workshops on the responsible and safe use of social media, as well as on measures to protect against potential misuse. These presentations and workshops are designed for both pupils and their parents.
Webinars for Parents
Special emphasis is placed on raising parental awareness of their role and responsibility in protecting children, for which informed understanding is essential. In collaboration with experts from various fields, HAKOM has prepared a webinar for parents, structured into five thematic sections. These educational sessions help parents gain a deeper understanding of their children’s digital world. Topics include the new rules of the digital world (DSA), personal data protection, and potential online frauds. The webinars are available on our YouTube channel.
It is important to note that users can request their operators to block content considered inappropriate for children, block messages from premium-rate numbers (e.g., 6xx xxx, 8xx xxx), restrict outgoing calls to specific groups of numbers (such as premium or international numbers), and activate spending limits and parental controls for TV services. You can also independently set up parental controls on a mobile device to restrict the content your child can access and the time they spend online.
As part of our ongoing efforts to monitor and promote the interests of children and young people, we invite you to share your suggestions and/or comments at [email protected]
Your input is essential in maintaining a safe online environment for our children and young people
Through close cooperation with civil society organisations, operators, educational institutions and other relevant stakeholders, HAKOM works to increase public awareness of responsible and safe online behaviour, while also helping to improve conditions within the electronic communications market to ensure a safer digital environment for children. In order to support better coordination and stronger collaboration among all involved parties, HAKOM has established an Advisory Mechanism for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment, which will serve as a platform for exchanging information and launching coordinated initiatives in the field of child protection in the digital environment.
Each February, in cooperation with operators and partner organisations, HAKOM marks Safer Internet Day. As part of this initiative, brochures containing essential guidance for staying safe online are distributed to all Year 5 pupils in primary schools across Croatia, addressing both children and their parents.
An educational video on protecting children online has also been released and is available on our YouTube channel. The video’s central message emphasises the importance of building trust between children and adults, with particular focus on the support that children should always receive from their parents. In addition, a Privacy Calculator application has been launched, allowing users to assess potential risks to their privacy when using the internet and sharing personal information.
HAKOM, as the national Digital Services Coordinator, oversees the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to ensure the safe use of online services for all users, in particular children and young people. Among other things, under the DSA all very large online platforms (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok) and online search engines (Google, Bing) are required to ensure that their services provide children and young people with a high level of privacy, safety and protection (e.g. the removal of illegal and inappropriate content, protection against unwanted contacts, parental control settings, age-verification systems, child-friendly complaint and reporting mechanisms…).
Education - From Pupils to Parents
As part of our project on protecting children online, our experts are pleased to accept invitations from schools, associations, and other organisations to deliver presentations and workshops on the responsible and safe use of social media, as well as on measures to protect against potential misuse. These presentations and workshops are designed for both pupils and their parents.
Webinars for Parents
Special emphasis is placed on raising parental awareness of their role and responsibility in protecting children, for which informed understanding is essential. In collaboration with experts from various fields, HAKOM has prepared a webinar for parents, structured into five thematic sections. These educational sessions help parents gain a deeper understanding of their children’s digital world. Topics include the new rules of the digital world (DSA), personal data protection, and potential online frauds. The webinars are available on our YouTube channel.
It is important to note that users can request their operators to block content considered inappropriate for children, block messages from premium-rate numbers (e.g., 6xx xxx, 8xx xxx), restrict outgoing calls to specific groups of numbers (such as premium or international numbers), and activate spending limits and parental controls for TV services. You can also independently set up parental controls on a mobile device to restrict the content your child can access and the time they spend online.
As part of our ongoing efforts to monitor and promote the interests of children and young people, we invite you to share your suggestions and/or comments at [email protected]
Your input is essential in maintaining a safe online environment for our children and young people