Home › Forums › Archives › Computer Support › Online Privacy, Safety & Security › MSN Shutting Down Chat Services
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September 24, 2003 at 6:48 am #12193shifterMember
As of Oct. 14, Microsoft is shutting down Internet chat services in most of its markets around the world and limiting the service in the United States.
In most of its 34 markets in Europe, Latin America and Asia, Microsoft MSN has chosen to simply shut down the service, the Redmond, Wash.-based software company said. 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 users who violate MSN’s terms of use. The sessions will not be moderated, Microsoft said.
In Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Brazil, the company will offer some moderated chat rooms. Users can also subscribe to an unmoderated service.
Full Story – BigBlueBall Article or FOX News or Sky.com
Also check out http://www.ad2k.net/ for a comprehensive look at this story.
Tell us your opinions and whether you agree with Microsoft’s reasoning behind these closures?
September 24, 2003 at 2:16 pm #90175detn8rParticipantDoes this mean, we only chat with fellow people in our country? Or will we still be able to chat with other countries.
Its too bad we have to keep restricting kid’s fun because of assholes. I doubt these moderators will do anything. Probably just be bots like there already is.
Maybe delete user-made chats will help? Who knows. I guess all we can do is wait N see.September 24, 2003 at 2:38 pm #90181hellsfury_25mMemberI don’t think that by shutting down this service this will eliminate the problem. Those people who use the service for that purpose, will either find another way to harrass,stalk, etc., or find another service that is less strict like Yahoo.
What really gets me is now in order to enter a chat room through MSN you now have to be a subscribing member to one of their services. This seems to me to be a little bit greedy on Microsofts part. I’m sure there could have been another way to alleviate this problem.
September 24, 2003 at 5:10 pm #90174detn8rParticipantI know just recently, Microsoft Canada is working with Toronto police to stop child porn etc, maybe this was on their plan also.
But like you said… for some reason, I think mirco-steal your money is more interested in taking your money than your saftey.September 25, 2003 at 12:32 am #90170Jeff HesterKeymasterPersonally, I agree with Microsoft on this one. Human moderators aren’t perfect, but unmoderated chatrooms are surely the cesspool of the Internet. A reasonable intelligent adult can barely hold a conversation with all the vulgarity, porn bots and assholes who just want to mess with people filling these chat rooms. Moderated chat rooms (and by moderated I mean human moderators, not bots) are much better and much safer, but even that isn’t perfect. Ultimately it’s not Microsoft or the ISP or even the chat room moderator that’s responsible for a child’s safety. The safety of children is the responsibility of their parents.
Even so, I recognize that a lot of teens and even younger spend time in chat rooms without parental supervision. Closing these rooms is not great loss, and may help draw attention to the predator problem.
It’s interesting though, other big chat room operators like Lycos have been critical of Microsoft, claiming that they are financially motivated and acting irresponsibly. According to Alex Kovach, managing director of Lycos UK, “…it’s more important that people provide responsible chat.” In his opinion, simply shutting down chat is Microsoft’s way of washing their hands of the problem and passing it on to everyone else.
September 25, 2003 at 8:00 am #90173rustedtightMemberQuote:quote:The safety of children is the responsibility of their parents.Even so, I recognize that a lot of teens and even younger spend time in chat rooms without parental supervision. Closing these rooms is not great loss, and may help draw attention to the predator problem.
I am firmly behind this line of thinking, how ignorant of us to pass the buck to parents, the providers of a service MUST accept responsibility for its use regardless of them providing it free or taking a profit. I accept we cannot control the predators in that case we must protect the children.
September 26, 2003 at 2:07 pm #90180hellsfury_25mMemberQuote:quote:Originally posted by JeffAccording to Alex Kovach, managing director of Lycos UK, “…it’s more important that people provide responsible chat.” In his opinion, simply shutting down chat is Microsoft’s way of washing their hands of the problem and passing it on to everyone else.
I’d have to agree with Mr. Kovach on his point regarding Microsoft. I think they are shutting down their chat services firstly to release the liability that would befall on them, and secondly to raise more money for the corporate giant’s pocket books. Personally I don’t see anything wrong with wanting the company to have more profits. What I see wrong with this situation is that Microsoft is basically passing the buck on to the rest of us and other companies and washing their hands of the problem. This really isn’t going to help rid the Net of pedophiles. I think Microsoft could take more responsibility in this situation, and also make a statement by stepping up to the plate, and actually doing something to help get rid of the pedophiles; instead of just passing the problem on to someone else. What does that say about how Microsoft feels about our children? To me it says that they just don’t care.
“If you’re not part of the solution, you’re a part of the problem.”
September 26, 2003 at 3:09 pm #90172rustedtightMemberDare I point out that most things that were once free are now SOLD by M$? The browser is now so deeply embeded into the OS it cannot be removed and is no longer offered as a stand alone application. The ‘player’ is already going down the same track… why not the chat client? Once M$ starts to SELL it then all other providers will follow suit.
Just a thought…….. 😉September 26, 2003 at 9:41 pm #90177FrutZleMemberThough most of what I read here is true, I voted here when I first saw this topic, and chose the “agree” option. Microsoft might show that they’re not willing to stand up to the problems that’ve been haunting the MSN chat rooms, and yes, they are showing that they want to increase profit by making the remaining chat service a paid service. They admitted that though it’s not what made them decide to close most chat rooms, it will help make MSN more profitable… or at least they won’t lose as much as they have in the past. But, as I’ve also heard others say; where are the parents while their kids are online?
My view, rather simply put, is that once a kid is old enough to be trusted online alone, he or she should also be made aware of the potential hazards. Children get taught not to talk to “strangers” from the moment they are old enough to walk and talk, and they get taught about the “birds and the bees” earlier and earlier, but when it comes to what can happen online, most parents don’t do a thing to educate their kids.
Should MSN, or any other organization that offers chat rooms and/or forums, take over the role of the parent and educate children? Do you really think children will read that information when they want to chat? Just think of yourself: do you always read the entire privacy policy on every website on which you use a service (be it an online store, or a chat site)? Most people don’t even take time to read the forums’ policy before they register (“now where’s that ‘agree’ button??”).Yes, it has to come from both sides, both that of the parent and that of the service provider. MSN has found it too costly to run their chat rooms, let alone have them all moderated 24/7/365, and almost impossible to ban bots. I don’t blame them for the step they’ve taken, and honestly believe that if MSN hadn’t taken this step now, someone else would’ve soon enough. If only Yahoo had the guts to do something to clean out their chat rooms…
September 27, 2003 at 4:26 am #90179booty2003Memberi agree we need to protec the kids but what i whant to know is about the games room what appen to that it all good they closing dwon the chat and moderate them but if they keep the game room oppen and theire even worst they have a lot off kids theire
the sicko just going to move around the net i cant say all parent fault or msn i mother off 3 kids
i know how it is
it hard today with all sicko out theire just that if msn really doing the reason that they says
they going to look at theire games tooonless it really about money $$$$$$$$$$$
October 2, 2003 at 1:42 am #90182purplepup_15Memberok, i dont realy care if they shut down the chat rooms, cuz i dont use those, i just want to make sure im not going to have to pay for messenger! can you help me out in solvin this dilema? btw, i live in canada, so that might help determine if i can or not….
October 2, 2003 at 4:50 am #90178shifterMemberThere has been no indication from Microsoft or the Media that MSN Messenger is going to evolve into a pay service. That does not rule them out from ever forcing users to pay, but at this point, its unlikely to happen soon.
October 2, 2003 at 9:13 am #90171rustedtightMemberQuote:quote:but at this point, its unlikely to happen soon.You would need to define ‘soon’, I can see this developing within the next 24-36 months. E.G. There is NO free IE browser, ask MAC users. 😮
A premium pay to chat service not unlike Trillian is in developement.
Eventually the ‘free’ service will be choked, as is Hotmail.
Leopards do not change their spots.:eek:October 11, 2003 at 6:00 pm #90176FrutZleMemberSemi off-topic…
Though I haven’t chatted at MSN for a while now, I have to admit that it’s the place where I started chatting back in the good ol’ days when I was still young 😀
Anyway, I just checked the MSN chat homepage and they have a link to a page with some information about the subscription service (I hadn’t checked yet, so don’t tell me it’s been there a while). The only weird thing is that besides that one page, there is absolutely no information available about who can register and who can’t, nor about the way things will be run once the chats are subscription-based.
The fee, $19.95 per year + extra storage for Hotmail and MSN Groups, is reasonable if they can assure you it’s worth it. A one-week free trial period, possibly to a limited number of rooms, would be a good idea.The only thing I’m sure about is that I won’t pay to chat at MSN, even if they do allow non-US residents to register. I’ve seen what can happen with pretty promises (re: Trillian Pro) [v]
I just noticed that in the US MSN will charge $19.95 per year for extra storage and access to the MSN chats, but over here in the Netherlands we’re expected to pay €31.99 per year (a little over $35) for exactly the same thing! Now I definitely won’t chat at MSN anymore…
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