Wonder What This Will Mean for the Emerging Church Chat?

MSN Shutters Most Chat Services
Wednesday, September 24, 2003

SEATTLE — Microsoft (MSFT) is shutting down Internet chat services in most of its markets around the world and limiting the service in the United States.

The company said the changes should help reduce criminal solicitations of children through online discussions. A business analyst said they also would enable Microsoft to shed some free users who are a drag on profits ...

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 and Japan, the company will offer some moderated chat rooms. Users can also subscribe to an unmoderated service. MSN will offer some moderated chat discussions in New Zealand and Brazil.

Posted by Mike at September 24, 2003 08:50 AM | TrackBack