More and more Bulgarian children are using the Internet, while the average age at which children discover the web for the first time is becoming lower. The Internet can be defined simply as a different setting in which the same risks that children and teenagers encounter in their everyday life take a new form. The difference between the Internet and the outside world, however, is that the Internet is a source of infinite information, the spread of which is often unregulated, as well as facilitated communication. Obviously, this vast availability of information and effortless communication has its positives but at the same time can lead to dangerous behavior, online bullying, and other risky online situations.
In September 2016, the Applied Research and Communications Foundation, coordinator of the National Safer Internet Center, in cooperation with the Market Links agency, conducted a national representative study entitled "Online Behavior of Children in Bulgaria". This study is part of a larger study conducted in Europe in the period 2016-2017 by the Global Kids Online research network. A total of 1,000 Bulgarian children, as well as 1,000 parents from across the country, were interviewed. The document focuses on the negative effects of the online environment on children's behavior as well as on the risks that young people face on the web. Reading it, you will find a number of statistics on the age of children using the internet in Bulgaria, the frequency of use, the activity in this environment, unpleasant experiences and more. You can also find recommendations in the document to address the potential issues that arise with this trend. The study is attached in Bulgarian and in English.