Yahoo chat choice signals Internet shift

Bob Sullivan Technology correspondent • Profile • E-mail

It might seem an obvious step for Yahoo to shut down chat rooms like "Girls 13 And Under For Older Guys” and “Girls 8 to 13 Watch Boys.” In fact, the even more obvious question is, "What took so long?"

Experts note that Yahoo's decision comes after years of Internet free speech debate, an abundance of court rulings on Internet service provider liability, and the maturing of the company as well as the World Wide Web. Some say the decision may have a ripple effect across the Internet, for good or ill.

Yahoo spokeswoman Mary Osako said the decision to close down all user-created chat rooms was made in the past week, to ensure that Yahoo chatters stay within the firm's terms of service. "We are working on improvements to the service to enhance our user experience," she said.

The decision appears directly connected to requests from some Yahoo advertisers to pull their ads over a controversy involving the chat rooms.  In some cases, brand names like State Farm and Pepsi appeared to be sponsoring chat rooms devoted to under-age sex, according to Houston television station KPRC. Yahoo is also facing a $10 million lawsuit claiming that the company profits from such chat rooms.

The move didn't close all Yahoo chat. Predefined chat rooms are still open.  Only user-created rooms — no matter what the subject matter — have been shut down. Osako wouldn't say when, or if, they would re-appear.

She also declined to specify when Yahoo first received consumer complaints about the chat rooms, other than to say that the firm regularly solicits user feedback.

Praise from child safety advocates
Child safety advocates hailed the decision as a victory for kids.

"It's been out of control for a while," said Parry Aftab, who runs WiredSafety.org. She said there have been complaints about Yahoo chat rooms for years.

Aftab said the firm recently underwent a management change that signaled increased vigilance to protect Yahoo's brand  — and specifically to be seen as a child-safe Web site.

The decision represents a "coming of age," for Yahoo and perhaps for the entire Internet, she said.

"This is signaling Yahoo is starting to function like a real business.  I think they finally realize they are a brand name, and they have to protect that," she said. "There is a lot of pressure on the Internet world right now to look at what is going on with your services, and (companies) have to weigh the risks against benefits."

Criticism from free-speech advocates
Other experts voiced concern that the breadth of Yahoo's decision — to sweep away all user-created chats, and not just the ones related to under-age sex — could have a chilling effect on free speech on the Internet.

"It's a big loss to society generally to have a service provider of Yahoo's magnitude take away tools people were using," said Eric Goldman, a professor at Marquette University Law School who specializes in Internet law. "If that decision was replicated by other major players, it would change the complexion of the Internet."

Yahoo is not the first major Internet service provider to back away from free-for-all chat because of child safety concerns. In 2003, MSN shut down chat service in 28 countries around the world. In the United States, it limited chat to paid members.

"The straightforward truth of the matter is free, unmediated chat isn't safe," Geoff Sutton, European general manager of Microsoft MSN, told Wired.com at the time. (Microsoft is a partner in the MSNBC joint venture.)

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