Have you ever seen a chat portal giggle? No? Then it is about time you visited a Danish chat-portal. Danish chat portals will shortly be able to apply for a safe-chat smiley to mark their portal safe.

The chat smiley initiative was launched by the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. It is now up to the Danish Association of Internet Media (FDIM) to develop the chat-codex criteria and the overall related procedure.

In this context a working group has been set up consisting of professionals, internet service providers, and the Danish awareness node: the Media Council for Children and Young People. The working group is currently discussing criteria and minimum standards for service providers. Such criteria involve reporting and blocking mechanisms for users, information on safe chatting and portal supervision.

Self-regulation is the keyword for this voluntary system. Service providers that wish to decorate their portals with the chat smiley will need to go through an application process. In consequence, providers have to adhere to minimum standards in order to mark their chat portals as safe.

It is, however, crucial that the chat-smiley system does not create a false sense of security among parents of young chatters. This is the opinion of the coordinating manager at the Danish Media Council, Susanne Boe. Mrs Boe emphasises the importance of supplementing the codex with media literacy education for children and youth and general awareness-raising among parents and teachers:

“The chat-codex must not be seen as a “sleeping pillow” for parents. Parents and teachers should still involve themselves in their children’s online life and children must know and be aware of basic safety measures, when surfing on the internet. For example, the importance of keeping your password for your chat profile secret. Therefore the codex cannot stand alone but must be combined with education.”

The Danish chat-smiley system is expected to be ready by the end of 2006.

Gry Hasselbalch, The Media Council for Children and Young People Denmark