msn chat closing

if any of you havent heard (and everyone on the net has probably heard it already), msn uk is closing its chat rooms, and they say its to stop paedophiles grooming kids.
all the tabloids are saying "yes this is good, paedophiles are evil, the internet is evil" etc... but the broadsheets are more sceptical and saying "hang on, isnt this a publicity stunt or something?"
im beginning to think its more of a publicity stunt than to protect kids, cos apparantly msn is going to try and push its messenger software more, and if the chat rooms close then ppl will have to use msn messenger. also ive heard a rumour that the day after the chat rooms close, msn will block aol's chat software. doesnt that seem like a bit too much coincidence and like they really are pushing us to use msn messenger?

i use msn messenger all the time so i dont mind

it's not true, i don't know for other countries, but here in our first page since one week we have an article saying this rumour is not true.

well who here uses the chat? as far as i go message boards is about it but i dont know, they seem more friendly thak chat room slol


well other than u orrible lot

its all your fault helen! ;]

explain how shutting their chat rooms is regarded a spublicity stunt and what it'lla ctually achieve for microsoft please.

It's funny how this announcement co incides with a massive advertising campaingn for MSN messenger. My prediction is that they get everyone using and relying on Messenger, and then start charging you for the privilege, much like they have tried to do with Hotmail.

Closing MSN chatrooms does nothing to stop child abuse, it's not as if it's the only chat room out there is it?

ooops .. sorry, i thought you were talking about msn messenger

I think most of you saw this already but here it is :

http://groups.msn.com/editorial/en-gb/content/chat.htm

i guess i missed the part where they couldn't charge for chat and messenger???

You don't rely on chat though do you? You can just go to yahoo! or lycos for a chat. The point is Jimmy, that people all over the world have their contacts listed in their messenger, sign in to messenger everytime they are logged on (people don't chat every time they log on do they?). This is much the same as Hotmail, where you may or may not have noticed they have started charging for when your mailbox fills up to a certain amount. To stop using it, for lots of people, would be a real hassle, which they might be prepared to pay for the privelage to keep. Chat rooms are all over the web, with not one of them standing out as being the leader, Messenger however is far and away out in front of all it's competitors.

Time will tell whos right on this Jimmy, but I think you'll find, as usual, it'll be me.