What is positive online content? 

We define positive online content (POC) as "digital content aimed at children, which enables them to learn, have fun, create, enjoy, develop a positive view of themselves and respect for their identity, enhance their participation in society and produce and distribute their own positive content." 

The Positive Online Content Campaign aims to promote best practices in the field of children’s content, to foster a discussion with youth, parents, teachers and industry about the importance of providing high-quality, age-appropriate, informative and entertaining content for children aged 0-12. We are working on the campaign – and the planning for this event (including the agenda and participant list) – together with FSM, which many of you may know as being active over the years in the positive online content field. 

We have many social activities planned throughout the month to raise awareness about the value of positive online content for the youngest audience, leading up to a POCC focus group taking place on 29 September, which will gather industry representatives, institutions, content and service providers, Safer Internet Centre (SICs) and other stakeholders to investigate how positive online content concepts need to evolve and adapt in the future focusing on the development of more advanced technology (especially with regards to online gaming, virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR), AI and playful-by-design concepts), while also taking into account developments in legislation (such as GDPR). 

You can join in the POCC awareness month activities by keeping an eye on the Insafe Twitter and Facebook accounts, and by using the hashtag #PositiveOnlineContent, over the coming weeks. 

The POC criteria checklist and examples 

Additionally, we suggest checking out the Positive Online Content criteria checklist, available in all European languages. The checklist, originally created as part of the POSCON (Positive Online Content and Services for Children in Europe) thematic network's work, was reviewed and updated for the 2022 edition of the Positive Online Content Campaign.  

The aim is that content providers use this checklist when developing new content and services to ensure that their products are fit for purpose, and take measures to ensure that children can go online free from risk of harm, whether this be in terms of content, contact, conduct, or commercial considerations. Parents, carers and educators can also benefit from the checklist by being better aware of the features they should look out for when choosing online experiences for younger children. 

Lastly, there is a section on the website dedicated to examples of positive online content for children, where you will find several resources and materials from all over Europe. You can filter the resources by country or by stakeholder group: children and young people, parents and carers, teachers and educators, and content producers and providers.