Microsoft Corp is shutting down Internet chat services in most of its markets around the world and limiting the service in the US

Microsoft Corp is shutting down Internet chat services in most of its markets around the world and limiting the service in the US to help reduce criminal solicitations of children through online chat discussions. The changes will take effect Oct 14, Microsoft said yesterday in an announcement from Europe. In most of its 34 markets in Europe, Latin America and Asia, Microsoft MSN has chosen to simply shut down the service, the Redmond, Washington-based software company said. However, MSN will continue to offer chat services to users in the US, Canada, Japan and Brazil. In the US, 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 down 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.