Secret Hidden Emoticons in Windows Live Messenger to Raise Money for Charity

By using Windows Live Messenger in the usual way, WLM instant messaging client users can now help and contribute to the charitable causes. i’m initiative, embedded into Windows Live Messenger 8.1, allows user to donate money to charity to make a difference without forking out or sacrificing their own hard-earned money. Instead, the donation will be paid by Microsoft which shares a portion of the program’s advertising revenue with some of the world’s most effective social cause organizations, as determined by users themselves based on which i’m emoticon code that been used on user’s nickname or display name.

i’m revenue sharing program for donation to charity works in such as way that whenever a user starts a conversion using i’m, a portion of the advertising revenue from the ads banner display that appeared on the message window will be donated to the charity you specified by the code. There is no cap on the limit that a user can contribute to the amount of the money raised by using WLM i’m fundraising initiative. So you can now donate and contribute to charity that you consent, and making a difference without using your own money, and without changing the pattern you use the Internet or IM client (WLM). Just more time to chat frequently needed! But you likely cannot disable the ads on WLM.

Some of the charitable organizations and causes the i’m supports, together with their i’m emoticon’s code and brief description of the organization (* is part of the code):

*9mil ninemillion.org – ninemillion.org: “UN Refugee Agency led campaign to raise awareness and funds for education and sport programs for nine million refugee children around the world”
*bgca – Boys & Girls Clubs of America: “Inspiring and enabling all young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens”
*help – StopGlobalWarming.org: “The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-partisan effort to bring citizens together to declare that global warming is here and now and it is time to demand solutions”
*komen – Susan G. Komen for the Cure: “Breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment”
*mssoc – National Multiple Sclerosis Society: “Finding a cure for multiple sclerosis and enabling people affected by MS to enhance their quality of life”
*naf – National AIDS Fund: “Aims to reduce incidence and impact of HIV/AIDS by promoting leadership and generating resources for effective community responses to the epidemic”
*red+u – American Red Cross: “Helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies”
*sierra – Sierra Club: “Explore, enjoy, and protect the planet”
*unicef – U.S. Fund for UNICEF: “The world’s leading children’s organization works for children’s rights, their development and protection”

It seems like there are other emoticons for i’m too, such as *mod, *wwf, *hsus, *one, *acs, *oxfam, and *care that not yet appear on the official supported charity list (or has been withdrawn). Once you put in the code into nick name or display name, this icon will appear:

To join i’m and start an i’m IM chat session or conversion, simply use any of the above code on your display name:

1. Download the free Windows Live Messenger 8.1 instant messenger service.
2. Place the text code corresponding to the cause of your choice into your Display Name by:
   1. On the top of WLM Contacts window, click the arrow next to your name and select “Options”.

      
   2. Next to display name, type one of the above i’m text codes, including the asterisk, for the cause you’d like to support.

      

   3. Click OK to complete the sign up.
3. Keep having i’m conversations so you can keep funding the cause doing the work most important to you.

i’m is currently effective for users from United States only, although users elsewhere can set the emoticon, but no money will be contributed to the charity. For more information, visit
i’m homepage (defunct).