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Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Meredith Bell's picture
Submitted by Meredith Bell on Wed, 09/24/2003 - 08:41
Posted in

Other UK members may have seen this on the news today, why Microsoft is planning to shut down all UK MSN CHAT rooms from the 14th October 2003. For those not in the know, here's the 441 -

Quote:
As part of an overall effort by MSN and Microsoft to provide consumers with a safer, more secure and positive overall online experience, MSN has decided to no longer offer MSN Chat in this market beginning October 14 2003.

This change is intended to help protect MSN users from unsolicited information such as spam and to better protect children from inappropriate communication online. We will ensure you get the best and safest customer experience during those last weeks where free unmoderated chat will still be available.

MSN wants you to enjoy the Internet safely. Click here to find out more about how to ensure your online experience is positive.

Why is MSN doing this?

The increase in abuse of the Internet, such as the massive growth of spam and the increase in unsolicited and inappropriate material, particularly with regards to children, has led us to this decision.

While I can understand the reasons for such a decision I still can't support it and would rather see parents taking a bit more responcibility for their children's safety on-line than to ban a service used by over a million net users. :evil:

So, anyone know a good alternative Chat site??

‹ Wed. 1st October its final ›

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Heather on Wed, 09/24/2003 - 09:47.
Heather's picture

8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by James_Connor on Wed, 09/24/2003 - 09:49.
James_Connor's picture

yea its true heard it on the radio today it sucks bad le for us

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Disposable_Hero on Wed, 09/24/2003 - 11:30.
Disposable_Hero's picture

Yar sucks it does. But didn't i read that you can still have a community chat room? maybe i read it wrong...

Ah well, doesn't yahoo have one?

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Kaarin on Wed, 09/24/2003 - 11:45.
Kaarin's picture

Yahoo Clubs used to have a chatroom - we'd have to check to see if Yahoo *Groups* still does, since they merged.

AOL Instant Messanger also has a fairly decent chat service.

Then again, there's also IRC that we can use.

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Heather on Wed, 09/24/2003 - 15:49.
Heather's picture

It looks like the US version of msn chat will still be ok, so instead of opening msn.co.uk, why not try opening msn.com and see if it'll let you continue to use chat that way? You never know...

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Logan on Wed, 09/24/2003 - 17:35.
Logan's picture

I think my feelings will best be expressed with a phrase my friends say I use far too much

"That is just retarded!"

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Kaarin on Wed, 09/24/2003 - 19:11.
Kaarin's picture

Read closer, Heather. We still need to subscribe to one other *paid* service to use the chat.

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Meredith Bell on Thu, 09/25/2003 - 07:11.
Meredith Bell's picture

Freeserve offers a FREE chat room service, I had a look at what they had to offer and it wasn't that shabby at all. Plus you can create your site's own chat room.

http://www.freeserve.com/community/chat/default.htm?linkfrom=Community&ChannelMenu

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Kaarin on Thu, 09/25/2003 - 10:06.
Kaarin's picture

We can also use Yahoo Groups if needs be - I believe that is a free service as well.

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Disposable_Hero on Thu, 09/25/2003 - 12:12.
Disposable_Hero's picture

Does this inculde Istant Messanger as well? Surely not, but my friend is getting paranoid about it and passed the paranoi on to me :?

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Meredith Bell on Thu, 09/25/2003 - 13:16.
Meredith Bell's picture

No, so far as I am aware, MSN Messenger will continue as normal. It is only MSN CHAT that is affected by the closure.

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Disposable_Hero on Fri, 09/26/2003 - 12:08.
Disposable_Hero's picture

That's what i thought, but you know what paranoia's like: damned infectious.

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Allyana on Sun, 09/28/2003 - 10:33.
Allyana's picture

Couldn’t MSN just do this?

Quote:
Freeserve continues to invest in chat room controls

Freeserve is to keep its chat rooms open and work with the Police and the Home Office to make them even safer for users.

Expressing concern over MSN's decision to shut most of its Internet chat rooms, Freeserve has warned that if other ISPs followed suit, such a blanket closure could lead users to less secure and less well regulated services, creating an even bigger problem. Freeserve believes that a more measured response to the problem would be a continued partnership between service providers, parents, responsible users and child protection agencies to create safer online communities.

Currently, Freeserve requires all chat room users to register with us so we know who they are. On top of this, we invest in the moderation of our chat rooms for younger users so they always know there is someone in the chat room watching out for them and their safety. We have the following controls in place:

Teen chat area only open during the hours of 10am to midnight
During this period it is fully moderated by professionally trained people
Tickbox stating age restrictions and acceptance of terms and conditions
Registration by all users
Parental guidelines and controls to allow them to block all access to Freeserve chat rooms
User guidelines and useful hints and tips on safe chat
In addition, Freeserve has developed the administrative ability to report details of suspected illegal activity to the law enforcement agencies and has collaborated with the Police on a number of cases.

Chat is an intrinsic part of the Internet and an essential service to the online community, and it's not going to go away. We know about the problems of chat rooms but the answer is not shutting them down, it's about constantly looking at ways to make them safer for users, with parental controls, practical safety advice and moderation, especially in those areas targeted at vulnerable Internet users.

Why UK LABN Members won't be able to use MSN CHAT

Submitted by Meredith Bell on Sun, 09/28/2003 - 12:18.
Meredith Bell's picture

Of course they could have, though I think MSN closing their chat rooms has little do do with protecting children from perverts and more to do with the bottom line - in that millions of people use msn services for free and they want to start charging for them. :?

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