Freeserve Criticises MSN Chat Closure
Posted: 25th Sep, 2003 By: MarkJ
UK ISP Freeserve has joined in the fray to criticise MSN's closure of its chat rooms around the world yesterday. Indeed, unlike MSN, Freeserve claims it will work toward making its services safer and more secure:
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.
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.
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