Freethought & Rationalism Archive

WinAce · 09-24-2003, 11:36 AM

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...oft_msn_chat_6

SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. is shutting down Internet chat services in most of its markets around the world and limiting the service in the United States to help reduce criminal solicitations of children through online discussions.

The changes, which will take effect Oct. 14, were disclosed Tuesday.

In most of its 34 markets in Europe, Latin America and Asia, Microsoft MSN has chosen to simply shut down the service. However, MSN will continue to offer chat services to users in the United States, Canada, Japan and Brazil...

In the United States, MSN will require users of its chat service to subscribe to at least one other paid MSN service. That way, the company will have credit card numbers to make it easier to track down users who violate MSN's terms of use.

===================

Unless this is a hoax, I don't know what to say. Definitely uninstalling. That leaves AIM, ICQ and Yahoo! Messenger...

Oh, and their excuse sucks. People have been stalking kids online since the BBS days better checks on who can register an account would help more than alienating 99% of users.

demoninho · 09-24-2003, 11:39 AM

Isn't it just chatrooms not messenger?

jerusha · 09-24-2003, 11:47 AM

Does that include the forums? They have good forums.

Autonemesis · 09-24-2003, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jerusha
Does that include the forums? They have good forums.

It is the unmonitored forums, not MSN messenger, that are being shut down.

Born Free · 09-24-2003, 11:59 AM

It's no hoax.

BBC report

Don't use them myself but I don't see why they should be shut down because some parents refuse to monitor their younger children's use of the internet.

Rhaedas · 09-24-2003, 12:02 PM

Next HBO will be terminating its broadcasts due to some children being able to sneak peeks behind their parent's backs at adult programming.

Well, it's MS's call, it's their stuff. I guess they looked at the whole can of worms it would open up to try and make everything nice-nice for 5 year olds to be safe chatting at midnight to adults, and figured they weren't making a profit that would be missed anyway...plus it's a quick way to shut up complainers on the CS side.

Sol · 09-24-2003, 12:36 PM

From the horse's mouth: http://www.msnbc.com/news/970970.asp...t:history.back() This will affect chat rooms, not messenger.

Rusting Car Bumper · 09-24-2003, 01:20 PM

They are doing it because the chat rooms don't generate revenue.

DC

Shake · 09-24-2003, 01:42 PM

Now wait. I've got a Hotmail account, but I don't use MSN. Does this mean I now can no longer use MSN Messenger to chat with friends? Are they just scrapping the whole program?

Oh wait, I just saw Sol's post. Phew. Still, I'm thinking about switching to YIM or Trillian anyway (per Ensign Steve's suggestion ... ironically during an MSNM chat).

BrotherMan · 09-24-2003, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shake
Still, I'm thinking about switching to YIM or Trillian anyway (per Ensign Steve's suggestion ... ironically during an MSNM chat).

Trillian isn't a messenger service by itself. It uses AIM, ICQ, MSNM, Yahoo! and it can connect to IRC. I do use it and I think it's the cat's pajamas.

09-24-2003, 11:36 AM	#1
WinAce Beloved Deceased Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Carrboro, NC Posts: 1,539	Microsoft shuts down MSN Messenger http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...oft_msn_chat_6 SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. is shutting down Internet chat services in most of its markets around the world and limiting the service in the United States to help reduce criminal solicitations of children through online discussions. The changes, which will take effect Oct. 14, were disclosed Tuesday. In most of its 34 markets in Europe, Latin America and Asia, Microsoft MSN has chosen to simply shut down the service. However, MSN will continue to offer chat services to users in the United States, Canada, Japan and Brazil... In the United States, MSN will require users of its chat service to subscribe to at least one other paid MSN service. That way, the company will have credit card numbers to make it easier to track down users who violate MSN's terms of use. =================== Unless this is a hoax, I don't know what to say. Definitely uninstalling. That leaves AIM, ICQ and Yahoo! Messenger... Oh, and their excuse sucks. People have been stalking kids online since the BBS days better checks on who can register an account would help more than alienating 99% of users.

09-24-2003, 11:47 AM	#3
jerusha Regular Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: s.c. Posts: 147	reply Does that include the forums? They have good forums.

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09-24-2003, 11:39 AM	#2
demoninho Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 927	Isn't it just chatrooms not messenger?

09-24-2003, 11:59 AM	#5
Born Free Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,177	It's no hoax. BBC report Don't use them myself but I don't see why they should be shut down because some parents refuse to monitor their younger children's use of the internet.

09-24-2003, 12:02 PM	#6
Rhaedas Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: USA Posts: 3,440	Next HBO will be terminating its broadcasts due to some children being able to sneak peeks behind their parent's backs at adult programming. Well, it's MS's call, it's their stuff. I guess they looked at the whole can of worms it would open up to try and make everything nice-nice for 5 year olds to be safe chatting at midnight to adults, and figured they weren't making a profit that would be missed anyway...plus it's a quick way to shut up complainers on the CS side.

09-24-2003, 12:36 PM	#7
Sol Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Desert Southwest Posts: 621	From the horse's mouth: http://www.msnbc.com/news/970970.asp...t:history.back() This will affect chat rooms, not messenger.

09-24-2003, 01:20 PM	#8
Rusting Car Bumper Banned Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: U.S. Posts: 4,171	They are doing it because the chat rooms don't generate revenue. DC

09-24-2003, 01:42 PM	#9
Shake Contributor Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Folding@Home in upstate NY Posts: 14,394	Now wait. I've got a Hotmail account, but I don't use MSN. Does this mean I now can no longer use MSN Messenger to chat with friends? Are they just scrapping the whole program? Oh wait, I just saw Sol's post. Phew. Still, I'm thinking about switching to YIM or Trillian anyway (per Ensign Steve's suggestion ... ironically during an MSNM chat).

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