Microsoft to pull plug on free chat

IDG News Service - Microsoft Corp. is pulling the plug on its free chat service in all but four countries, the company said yesterday.
Citing a rise in spam and offensive material, the company plans to eliminate MSN chat services completely in 28 countries while restricting access to chat groups in the U.S.
The changes will be effective Oct. 14, when MSN's chat services will be suspended in most countries they're currently available in, including Spain, France and Mexico, a Microsoft spokeswoman confirmed.
"MSN chat will become a subscription-only service in the U.S.," the spokeswoman said. "Anybody will be able to view the chat rooms, but you must have a subscription to MSN to participate," she said. This means that U.S. users who want to use Microsoft's Chat.msn.com chat site will now have to pay at least the $19.95 fee for MSN Extra Storage program, she said.
Not all free chat services will disappear, however. Users in Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Brazil will still have access to free moderated chat, she said. MSN subscribers in Canada and Japan will also have the option of unmoderated chat, she said.
Microsoft is making the changes to protect customers, who were being inundated with inappropriate material. "Basically, it was an effort to provide a more safe and secure online experience," the spokeswoman said.