Providers shall inform about legal rules for youth protection in their internet offers. This can be realised through a hyperlink to the FSM web site, e.g. in the provider’s category for parents

The providers design their contents according to the legal rules for youth protection, i.e. that their services do not contain youth-endangering content or topics that might impair the development of minors

The providers are advised to indicate possible use of youth protection software.

In addition to these general criteria, chats and communities play a very important role in terms of designing online content in accordance with youth protection laws. Please note the following aspects:

Within services for children, chats shall be moderated. This means that articles of children are checked before they appear in the chat

Chats for young people should be checked regularly and contents which do not comply with youth protection rules should be removed. Providers may moderate chats at particular times of day when many young people use the internet.

Furthermore, providers of forums and other user-generated content for young people should check the articles before they are published.

2. Transparency

Web sites for children and young people must, like all web sites, contain an imprint. The imprint has to be clearly recognisable and easy to find. The person responsible for the content must be clearly named. Moreover, information on how to contact the provider shall be indicated for minors as well as for their parents.

Services for children should contain a special category for parents with broad information on the offers. The providers shall also prepare information about the company and the services for children and young people. This could contain content focuses, purposes and target groups.

If particular software is offered for download, it shall be free of charge and under public licence or be only installable by parents.

The page paths for children shall be easy to remember. If a child misspells a word, this must not cause confusion with unsuitable web addresses. Therefore, it is desirable that providers regularly check web sites which might be reached through mistyped words.

Providers of web sites for children shall chose an easy and comprehensible navigation and provide separate control systems outside the web browser.

Web pages for children shall contain hints to other services for kids or link to them directly in order to satisfy the curiosity of children in a comprehensive and thematically manifold way.

If hyperlinks to other services are used, the provider shall check the other websites editorially in advance. Provider shall inform children and young people that they are about to leave the original web site.

Referring to transparency, advertisement and shops on web sites for children play a significant role as children may lack an adequate cognitive capacity to definitely recognise advertisement. In this context, providers should realise the following criteria:

Advertisement shall be clearly indicated and separated from editorial content. Separate or pop-up windows must be easy to close by children and must not open new windows.

Generally, providers of web sites for children and young people must not include any advertisement in their services that would violate the legal rules of youth protection. Furthermore, the providers will take care that they do not provide products in their online shops which are youth-endangering or could impair the development of minors.

In case shops are included in an internet offer, the provider shall indicate this clearly. Children shall be advised when they are about to purchase goods. Buying things of prices which exceed the “pocket money regulation” (sect. 110 of the German Civil Code) shall be reserved for parents.

Providers of web sites for children must insert an extra page, advising the user that she is about to enter a shop.

3. Advancement of cognitive, social and emotional development

When they select their content, providers pay attention to furthering the users’ knowledge and to contribute to their social aptitudes (e.g. tolerance towards others)

Furthermore, providers make efforts to work as advisers for children and young people in all relevant areas. Moreover, they pay attention to inform young people about socially relevant topics which might concern them (e.g. violence at school) in a way that is well understandable considering the children’s age

The providers try to meet the requirements of children and young people and further their imagination and creativity. To achieve this, they can embed interactive elements (e.g. games and other applications which allow writing short articles or getting in touch with others) in their internet offers

Additionally, providers try to respond to the users’ wishes and suggestions and optimize their internet offers correspondingly. To ensure this, it is desirable to provide the possibility to contact the editorial staff and that the users are directly contacted on a regular basis as well.

4. Advancement of media skills

When designing their web sites, providers pay attention to establish a category where children find general information about the medium “internet”, learn more about possible risks and get tips for using the internet safely.

In order to advance children’s media skills, they should have the opportunity to actively contribute to the content.

5. Ensuring data protection

Providers preserve data protection laws by collecting only as much personal data from children as necessary; they do not store this data without parental consent. The term over which data is stored should be limited to what is absolutely necessary.

Furthermore, providers pay attention to that children do not spread their personal data in chats or web communities. They point out the risks which can result from giving away too much information about oneself.