TERM PAPER ON THE DANGERS OF INTERNET CHATROOMS AND INSTANT MESSAGING

CONTENTS Introduction Definition Chat and Chat room Instant Messaging Dangers of internet chat room and instant messaging References

SUMMARY Although internet chat rooms and instant messaging delivers many benefits, it also carries with it certain risks and liabilities, particularly wh en used in workplace. My term paper has been named The dangers of Internet Chat R ooms and Instant Messaging as its purpose is to cover the risks and liabilities o f using internet chat rooms and instant messaging in daily life.

INTRODUCTION: The most common place for chat activity is on websites. They ar e easy to find and do not need extra software installed. In a chat room on the I nternet, people can type messages back and forth to someone else with instant re sponse just like carrying on a conversation. Other people can log into the chat room and read the messages, just as if they were in the same room listening only y ou cant see them and you dont know who they are.Chat is probably the most dangerous area on the Internet because you dont know who is in the chat room with you. To use Instant Messaging you must download and/or install s oftware such as MSN Messenger. Instant Messaging allows people using the same IM software to communicate and transfer files through private online chat areas. W ith Instant Messaging, a user creates a list of other users with whom he/she wis hes to communicate. When a user from the list is online, the service alerts him/ her and enables immediate contact. DEFINITION: The term chat room, or chatroom, is primarily used by mass me dia to describe any form of synchronous conferencing, occasionally even asynchro nous conferencing. The term can thus mean any technology ranging from real-time online chat over instant messaging and online forums to fully immersive graphica l social environments Instant messaging (IM) is a form of real-time direct text-ba sed chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using persona l computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user s text is conv eyed over a network, such as the Internet. More advanced instant messaging softw are clients also allow enhanced modes of communication, such as live voice or vi deo calling and inclusion of links to media. CHAT & CHAT ROOM: History: The first dedicated online chat service was the CompuServe CB Simulator in 1980, created by CompuServe executive Alexander "Sandy" Trevor i n Columbus, Ohio. Text-based chat: Online chat is a way of communicating by sending text messages to people in the same chat-room in real-time. Some chat rooms such as Yahoo! use b oth text and voice simultaneously. The oldest form of chat rooms is the text-bas ed variety. Graphical multi-user environments: Visual chat rooms add graphics to the chat experience, in either 2D or 3D (employing virtual reality technology).These are characterized by using a graphic representation of the user (avatar) that can be moved about a graphic ba ckground or in a graphic environment. These virtual worlds are capable of incorp orating elements such as games (in particular massively multiplayer online games ) and educational material most often developed by individual site owners, who i n general are simply more advanced users of the systems. The most popular enviro

nments also allow users to create or build their own spaces. Some visual chat rooms also incorporate audio and video communicat ions, so that users may actually see and hear each other. Chat room activities: The primary use of a chat room is to share information via text wit h a group of other users. Generally speaking, the ability to converse with multi ple people in the same conversation differentiates chat rooms from instant messa ging programs, which are more typically designed for one-to-one communication. T he users in a particular chat room are generally connected via a shared interest or other similar connection, and chat rooms exist catering for a wide range of subjects. New technology has enabled the use of file sharing and webcams to be i ncluded in some programs. Rules of behavior: Chat rooms usually have stringent rules that they require users to follow in order to maintain integrity and safety for their users. Particularly in rooms for children, rules usually do not allow users to use offensive languag e, or to promote hate mail, violence and other negative issues. Also chat rooms often do not allow advertising in their rooms or flooding, which is continually filling the screen with repetitive text. Typing with caps lock on is usually con sidered shouting and is discouraged. Sometimes chat room venues are moderated either by limiting who is allowed to speak (not common), by having comments be approved by moderators (of ten presented as asking questions of a guest or celebrity), or by having moderat ion volunteers patrol the venue watching for disruptive or otherwise undesirable behaviour. Yet, most commonly used chat rooms are not moderated and users may type what they personally choose to send. Language issues: Even today, relatively little is known about the discours e produced in on-line communication contexts. While there is a growing body of l iterature on sociolinguistic variation in French chat for example, other forms o f computer mediated communication (e.g. discussion fora, weblogs, etc.) have rec eived less attention Perceived dangers: As chat rooms are often frequented by minors, they can fa cilitate illegal sexual contact though studies have shown that this is not commo n, with the American Psychologist journal calling many of the fears myths . INSTANT MESSAGING: Overview: Instant messaging (IM) is a set of communication technologies used for text-based communication between two or more participants over the Inte rnet or other types of networks. IMchat happens in real-time. Of importance is th at online chat and instant messaging differ from other technologies such as emai l due to the perceived quasi-synchronicity of the communications by the users. S ome systems permit messages to be sent to users not then logged on (offline me ssages), thus removing some differences between IM and email (often done by send ing the message to the associated email account). IM allows effective and efficient communication, allowing imme diate receipt of acknowledgment or reply. However IM is basically not necessaril y supported by transaction control. In many cases, instant messaging includes ad ded features which can make it even more popular. For example, users may see eac h other via webcams, or talk directly for free over the Internet using a microph one and headphones or loudspeakers. Many client programs allow file transfers, a lthough they are usually limited in the permissible file-size. It is usually possible to save a text conversation for later ref erence. Instant messages are often logged in a local message history, making it similar to the persistent nature of emails. History: Instant messaging predates the Internet, first appearing on multi-

user operating systems like Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS) and Multiplexe d Information and Computing Service (Multics) in the mid-1960s. Initially, some of these systems were used as notification systems for services like printing, b ut quickly were used to facilitate communication with other users logged in to t he same machine.[citation needed] As networks developed, the protocols spread wi th the networks. Some of these used a peer-to-peer protocol (e.g. talk, ntalk an d ytalk), while others required peers to connect to a server (see talker and IRC ). The Zephyr Notification Service (still in use at some institutions) was inven ted at MIT s Project Athena in the 1980s to allow service providers to locate an d send messages to users. During the bulletin board system (BBS) phenomenon that peaked during the 1980s, some systems incorporated chat features which were sim ilar to instant messaging; Freelancin Roundtable was one prime example. The fir st dedicated online chat service was the CompuServe CB Simulator in 1980, create d by CompuServe executive Alexander "Sandy" Trevor in Columbus, Ohio. Early instant messaging programs were primarily real-time text , where characters appeared as it is typed. This includes the Unix "talk" comman d line program, which was popular in the 1980s and early 1990s. Some BBS chat pr ograms (i.e. Celerity BBS) also used a similar interface. Modern implementations of real-time text also exist in instant messengers, such as AOL s Real-Time IM as an optional feature. In the latter half of the 1980s and into the early 1990s, the Quantum Link online service for Commodore 64 computers offered user-to-user mess ages between concurrently connected customers, which they called "On-Line Messag es" (or OLM for short), and later "FlashMail." (Quantum Link later became Americ a Online and made AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), discussed later). While the Quant um Link service ran on a Commodore 64, using only the Commodore s PETSCII text-g raphics, the screen was visually divided into sections and OLMs would appear as a yellow bar saying "Message From:" and the name of the sender along with the me ssage across the top of whatever the user was already doing, and presented a lis t of options for responding. As such, it could be considered a type of graphical user interface (GUI), albeit much more primitive than the later Unix, Windows a nd Macintosh based GUI IM software. OLMs were what Q-Link called "Plus Service m eaning they charged an extra per-minute fee on top of the monthly Q-Link access costs. Modern, Internet-wide, GUI-based messaging clients as they ar e known today, began to take off in the mid 1990s with PowWow, ICQ, and AOL Inst ant Messenger. Similar functionality was offered by CU-SeeMe in 1992; though pri marily an audio/video chat link, users could also send textual messages to each other. AOL later acquired Mirabilis, the authors of ICQ; a few years later ICQ ( now owned by AOL) was awarded two patents for instant messaging by the U.S. pate nt office. Meanwhile, other companies developed their own software; (Excite, MSN , Ubique, and Yahoo), each with its own proprietary protocol and client; users t herefore had to run multiple client applications if they wished to use more than one of these networks. In 1998, IBM released IBM Lotus Sametime,a product based on technology acquired when IBM bought Haifa-based Ubique and Lexington-based D atabeam. In 2000, an open source application and open standards-based p rotocol called Jabber was launched. The protocol was standardized under the name Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP). XMPP servers could act as ga teways to other IM protocols, reducing the need to run multiple clients Multi-pr otocol clients can use any of the popular IM protocols by using additional local libraries for each protocol. IBM Lotus Sametime s November 2007 release added I BM Lotus Sametime Gateway support for XMPP. As of 2010, social networking providers often offer IM abil ities. Many instant messaging services offer video calling featur es, Voice Over IP (VoIP) and web conferencing services. Web conferencing service s can integrate both video calling and instant messaging abilities. Some instant messaging companies are also offering desktop sharing, IP radio, and IPTV to th e voice and video features.

The term "Instant Messenger" is a service mark of Time W arner and may not be used in software not affiliated with AOL in the United Stat es. For this reason, in April 2007, the instant messaging client formerly named Gaim (or gaim) announced that they would be renamed "Pidgin". Clients: Each modern IM service generally provides its own client, eithe r a separately installed piece of software, or a browser-based client. These usu ally only work with the supplier company s service, although some allow limited function with other services. Third party client software applications exist tha t will connect with most of the major IM services. Adium, Digsby, Jappix, Meebo, Miranda IM, Pidgin, Qnext and Trillian are a few of the common ones. Mobil instant messaging: Mobile instant messaging (MIM) is the technolo gy that allows instant messaging services to be accessed from a portable device, ranging from standard mobile phones, to smartphones (e.g. devices using operati ng systems such as Android, Blackberry OS, iOS, Symbian OS, Windows Phone, et al .). It is done two ways: Embedded clients - tailored IM client for every specific device. Clientless platform a browser-based application that does not need to download a ny software to the handset, and which enables all users and all devices from any network to connect to their Internet IM service, ideally. In practice, browser limits can pose problems. In Web Browser: Gmail introduced instant messaging ability in its web pages, which can be used in a web browser with no need to download and install t he IM client. Later, Yahoo and Hotmail also implemented this. eBuddy and Meebo w ebsites offers instant messaging of different IM services. Generally such servic es are limited to text chat, although Gmail has voice and video abilities. As of August 2010, Gmail allows calling regular phones from their web-based IM client . Jappix is a XMPP web-client, offering the user a complete XMPP protocol features access, through a web browser. It is offered in three versions: a desktop one, a mobile one and a mini one. The last one, Jappix Mini, is a mini chat for websi tes. Friend-to-friend networks: Instant messaging may be done in a friend-to-friend network, in whi ch each node connects to the friends on the friends list. This allows for commun ication with friends of friends and for the building of chatrooms for instant me ssages with all friends on that network. IM language: Users sometimes make use of internet slang or text speak to abb reviate common words or expressions to quicken conversations or reduce keystroke s. The language has become universal, with well-known expressions such as lol translated over to face to face language. Emotions are often expressed in shorthand, such as the abbreviation LOL, BRB and TTYL; respectively laugh(ing) out loud, be right back, and talk to you later. Some, however, attempt to be more accurate with emotional expression over IM. Re al time reactions such as (chortle) (snort) (guffaw) or (eye-roll) are becoming more popular. Also there are certain standards that are being introduced into ma instream conversations including, # indicates the use of sarcasm in a statemen t and * which indicates a spelling mistake and/or grammatical error in the pri or message, followed by a correction. Business application: Instant messaging has proven to be similar to personal compute rs, email, and the World Wide Web, in that its adoption for use as a business co mmunications medium was driven primarily by individual employees using consumer software at work, rather than by formal mandate or provisioning by corporate inf ormation technology departments. Tens of millions of the consumer IM accounts in use are being used for business purposes by employees of companies and other or ganizations.

In response to the demand for business-grade IM and the need t o ensure security and legal compliance, a new type of instant messaging, called "Enterprise Instant Messaging" ("EIM") was created when Lotus Software launched IBM Lotus Sametime in 1998. Microsoft followed suit shortly thereafter with Micr osoft Exchange Instant Messaging, later created a new platform called Microsoft Office Live Communications Server, and released Office Communications Server 200 7 in October 2007. Oracle Corporation has also jumped into the market recently w ith its Oracle Beehive unified collaboration software. Both IBM Lotus and Micros oft have introduced federation between their EIM systems and some of the public IM networks so that employees may use one interface to both their internal EIM s ystem and their contacts on AOL, MSN, and Yahoo! As of 2010, leading EIM platfor ms include IBM Lotus Sametime, Microsoft Office Communications Server, Jabber XC P and Cisco Unified Presence. Industry-focused EIM platforms as Reuters Messagin g and Bloomberg Messaging also provide enhanced IM abilities to financial servic es companies. The adoption of IM across corporate networks outside of the c ontrol of IT organizations creates risks and liabilities for companies who do no t effectively manage and support IM use. Companies implement specialized IM arch iving and security products and services to mitigate these risks and provide saf e, secure, productive instant messaging abilities to their employees. Review of products: IM products can usually be categorised into two types: Ente rprise Instant Messaging (EIM) and Consumer Instant Messaging (CIM). Enterprise solutions use an internal IM server, however this isn t always feasible, particu larly for smaller businesses with limited budgets. The second option, using a CI M provides the advantage of being inexpensive to implement and has little need f or investing in new hardware or server software. For corporate use encryption and conversation archiving are usually regarded as important features due to security concerns. Sometimes the u se of different operating systems in organizations requires use of software that supports more than one platform. For example many software companies use Window s XP in administration departments but have software developers who use Linux. Risks and liabilities Although instant messaging delivers many benefits, it also carries w ith it certain risks and liabilities, particularly when used in workplaces. Amon g these risks and liabilities are: Security risks (e.g. IM used to infect computers with spyware, viruses, trojans, worms) Compliance risks Inappropriate use Trade secret leakage Security risks: Crackers (malicious "hacker" or [black hat] hacker) have consiste ntly used IM networks as vectors for delivering phishing attempts, "poison URLs" , and virus-laden file attachments from 2004 to the present, with over 1100 disc rete attacks listed by the IM Security Center in 2004-2007. Hackers use two meth ods of delivering malicious code through IM: delivery of viruses, trojan horses, or spyware within an infected file, and the use of "socially engineered" text w ith a web address that entices the recipient to click on a URL connecting him or her to a website that then downloads malicious code. Viruses, computer worms, a nd trojans usually propagate by sending themselves rapidly through the infected user s contact list. An effective attack using a poisoned URL may reach tens of thousands of users in a short period when each user s contact list receives mess ages appearing to be from a trusted friend. The recipients click on the web addr ess, and the entire cycle starts again. Infections may range from nuisance to cr iminal, and are becoming more sophisticated each year. IM connections usually occur in plain text, making them vulnerable to eavesdropp ing. Also, IM client software often requires the user to expose open UDP ports t o the world, raising the threat posed by potential security vulnerabilities. Compliance risks:

In addition to the malicious code threat, the use of instant mes saging at work also creates a risk of non-compliance to laws and regulations gov erning use of electronic communications in businesses. In the United States alon e there are over 10,000 laws and regulations related to electronic messaging and records retention. The better-known of these include the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, HI PAA, and SEC 17a-3. Clarification from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authori ty (FINRA) was issued to member firms in the financial services industry in Dece mber, 2007, noting that "electronic communications", "email", and "electronic co rrespondence" may be used interchangeably and can include such forms of electron ic messaging as instant messaging and text messaging. Changes to Federal Rules o f Civil Procedure, effective December 1, 2006, created a new category for electr onic records which may be requested during discovery in legal proceedings. Most nations also regulate use of electronic messaging and electronic records retenti on in similar fashion as the United States. The most common regulations related to IM at work involve the need to produce archived business communications to sa tisfy government or judicial requests under law. Many instant messaging communic ations fall into the category of business communications that must be archived a nd retrievable. Inappropriate use: Organizations of all types must protect themselves from the liabilit y of their employees inappropriate use of IM. The informal, immediate, and oste nsibly anonymous nature of instant messaging makes it a candidate for abuse in t he workplace. The topic of inappropriate IM use became front page news in Octobe r 2006 when U.S. Congressman Mark Foley resigned his seat after admitting sendin g offensive instant messages of a sexual nature to underage former House pages f rom his Congressional office PC. The Mark Foley Scandal led to media coverage an d mainstream newspaper articles warning of the risks of inappropriate IM use in workplaces. In most nations, corporations have a legal responsibility to ensure harassment-free work environment for employees. The use of corporate-owned compu ters, networks, and software to harass an individual or spread inappropriate jok es or language creates a liability for not only the offender but also the employ er. A survey by IM archiving and security provider Akonix Systems, Inc. in March 2007 showed that 31% of respondents had been harassed over IM at work. Companie s now include instant messaging as an integral component of their policies on ap propriate use of the World Wide Web, email, and other corporate assets. Security and archiving: In the early 2000s, a new class of IT security provider emerged to provide remedies for the risks and liabilities faced by corporations who chos e to use IM for business communications. The IM security providers created new p roducts to be installed in corporate networks for the purpose of archiving, cont ent-scanning, and security-scanning IM traffic moving in and out of the corporat ion. Similar to the e-mail filtering vendors, the IM security providers focus on the risks and liabilities described above. With rapid adoption of IM in the workplace, demand for IM security products began to grow in the mid-2000s. By 2007, the preferred platform for th e purchase of security software had become the "computer appliance", according t o IDC, who estimate that by 2008, 80% of network security products will be deliv ered via an appliance. DANGERS OF INTERNET CHAT ROOMS & INSTANR MESSAGING: People frequently use Internet chat rooms and instant messaging to en gage in enjoyable conversation with like-minded people, friends and family membe rs. But there are dangers involved with usage. Other users may conceal their tru e identity, reveal too much information or find themselves in a legal tangle. Qu ality of life may weaken, and there are additional concerns for children. When spending time instant messaging or in Internet chat rooms, be aw are that not everyone may be presenting him or herself correctly. Be wary of any one seeking information about a home address or bank account number. But also re member that the dashing online suitor might be exaggerating positive characteris tics or that "Dr. Bob" may not be a doctor.

The British Internet trend website Internet Phenomenon notes the emerge nce of "sock puppets," people who purposely mislead others about true identity, opinions and beliefs. Most people don t have time to waste talking with a "prete nd" online friend. There s something comfortingly anonymous about sharing intimate thought s or concerns in the privacy of an online chat room. But remember that hardly an ything that takes place online can be considered truly private or anonymous. Bew are of sharing negative views of bosses, co-workers, family members or friends--there s no guarantee that they re not part of that same online community, under an unfamiliar name. Over-sharing can lead to identity theft, hurt feelings or a diminished reputation Be aware that some chat rooms and instant messaging sites have legal sti pulations that protect users. Some sites may have rules that internal messages s hould not be forwarded or quoted outside the site. These messages become copyrig hted, and misusing the content could lead to legal ramifications. Additionally, people who violate the No Electronic Theft Act, which relat es to using other people s copyrighted material, can be subject to fines and pri son time Excessive use of Internet chat rooms or instant messaging can lead to In ternet addiction. Because online dialogues constantly shift, some users find the mselves sucked into a cycle of logging online to avoid "missing" something. Sign s of addiction can include feeling guilty about time spent online or neglecting loved ones to spend time online. While chat rooms and instant messaging can facilitate new online friendsh ips, keep in mind that maintaining a balanced quality of life in the real world is also important. Online predators use Internet chat rooms and instant messaging to establ ish communication with children. While predators may initially make contact with children in chat rooms, they may eventually steer conversation toward more priv ate communication via instant messaging, email or even telephone. There is alway s a possibility that an online predator may seek in-person contact with children first encountered online. Carefully monitor child use of Internet chat rooms an d instant messaging looking for signs of misuse---for example, if a child freque ntly minimizes the computer screen when adults walk by. REFERENCES: www.ansers.com www.scribd.com www.google.co.in Wikipedia CompuServe Innovator Resigns After 25 Years, The Columbus Dispatch, 11 May 1996, p. 2F Wired and Inspired, The Columbus Dispatch (Business page), by Mike Pramik, 12 No vember 2000 Chatiquette - guidelines for chatting online. Rmi A. van Compernolle (2008). Nous versus on: Pronouns with first-person plural reference in synchronous French chat. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1 1(2) McMahon S. "Chat Room Safety Advice". http://www.chat-rooms-online.com/chat-safe ty.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-19. Fears of Internet predators unfounded, study finds Instant Messaging on CTSS and Multics CompuServe Innovator Resigns After 25 Years, The Columbus Dispatch, 11 May 1996, p. 2F Wired and Inspired, The Columbus Dispatch (Business page), by Mike Pramik, 12 No vember 2000 AOL Instant Messenger s Real-Time IM feature RealJabber.org s animation of real-time text. Screenshot of a Quantum Link OLM Summary of final decisions issued by the trademark trial and appeal board, Janua

ry 16-20, 2006 "Important and Long Delayed News", Announcement of Gaim renaming (to Pidgin), Ap ril 6, 2007 "The decline of instant messaging". BBC News. 2010-05-24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/ 2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8698174.stm.

TERM PAPER ON THE DANGERS OF INTERNET CHATROOMS AND INSTANT MESSAGING

CONTENTS Introduction Definition Chat and Chat room Instant Messaging Dangers of internet chat room and instant messaging References

SUMMARY

Although internet chat rooms and instant messaging delivers many benefits, it also carries with it certain risks and liabilities, particularly wh en used in workplace. My term paper has been named The dangers of Internet Chat R ooms and Instant Messaging as its purpose is to cover the risks and liabilities o f using internet chat rooms and instant messaging in daily life.

INTRODUCTION: The most common place for chat activity is on websites. They ar e easy to find and do not need extra software installed. In a chat room on the I nternet, people can type messages back and forth to someone else with instant re sponse just like carrying on a conversation. Other people can log into the chat room and read the messages, just as if they were in the same room listening only y ou cant see them and you dont know who they are.Chat is probably the most dangerous area on the Internet because you dont know who is in the chat room with you. To use Instant Messaging you must download and/or install s oftware such as MSN Messenger. Instant Messaging allows people using the same IM software to communicate and transfer files through private online chat areas. W ith Instant Messaging, a user creates a list of other users with whom he/she wis hes to communicate. When a user from the list is online, the service alerts him/ her and enables immediate contact. DEFINITION: The term chat room, or chatroom, is primarily used by mass me dia to describe any form of synchronous conferencing, occasionally even asynchro nous conferencing. The term can thus mean any technology ranging from real-time online chat over instant messaging and online forums to fully immersive graphica l social environments Instant messaging (IM) is a form of real-time direct text-ba sed chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using persona l computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user s text is conv eyed over a network, such as the Internet. More advanced instant messaging softw are clients also allow enhanced modes of communication, such as live voice or vi deo calling and inclusion of links to media. CHAT & CHAT ROOM: History: The first dedicated online chat service was the CompuServe CB Simulator in 1980, created by CompuServe executive Alexander "Sandy" Trevor i n Columbus, Ohio. Text-based chat: Online chat is a way of communicating by sending text messages to people in the same chat-room in real-time. Some chat rooms such as Yahoo! use b oth text and voice simultaneously. The oldest form of chat rooms is the text-bas ed variety. Graphical multi-user environments:

Visual chat rooms add graphics to the chat experience, in either 2D or 3D (employing virtual reality technology).These are characterized by using a graphic representation of the user (avatar) that can be moved about a graphic ba ckground or in a graphic environment. These virtual worlds are capable of incorp orating elements such as games (in particular massively multiplayer online games ) and educational material most often developed by individual site owners, who i n general are simply more advanced users of the systems. The most popular enviro nments also allow users to create or build their own spaces. Some visual chat rooms also incorporate audio and video communicat ions, so that users may actually see and hear each other. Chat room activities: The primary use of a chat room is to share information via text wit h a group of other users. Generally speaking, the ability to converse with multi ple people in the same conversation differentiates chat rooms from instant messa ging programs, which are more typically designed for one-to-one communication. T he users in a particular chat room are generally connected via a shared interest or other similar connection, and chat rooms exist catering for a wide range of subjects. New technology has enabled the use of file sharing and webcams to be i ncluded in some programs. Rules of behavior: Chat rooms usually have stringent rules that they require users to follow in order to maintain integrity and safety for their users. Particularly in rooms for children, rules usually do not allow users to use offensive languag e, or to promote hate mail, violence and other negative issues. Also chat rooms often do not allow advertising in their rooms or flooding, which is continually filling the screen with repetitive text. Typing with caps lock on is usually con sidered shouting and is discouraged. Sometimes chat room venues are moderated either by limiting who is allowed to speak (not common), by having comments be approved by moderators (of ten presented as asking questions of a guest or celebrity), or by having moderat ion volunteers patrol the venue watching for disruptive or otherwise undesirable behaviour. Yet, most commonly used chat rooms are not moderated and users may type what they personally choose to send. Language issues: Even today, relatively little is known about the discours e produced in on-line communication contexts. While there is a growing body of l iterature on sociolinguistic variation in French chat for example, other forms o f computer mediated communication (e.g. discussion fora, weblogs, etc.) have rec eived less attention Perceived dangers: As chat rooms are often frequented by minors, they can fa cilitate illegal sexual contact though studies have shown that this is not commo n, with the American Psychologist journal calling many of the fears myths . INSTANT MESSAGING: Overview: Instant messaging (IM) is a set of communication technologies used for text-based communication between two or more participants over the Inte rnet or other types of networks. IMchat happens in real-time. Of importance is th at online chat and instant messaging differ from other technologies such as emai l due to the perceived quasi-synchronicity of the communications by the users. S ome systems permit messages to be sent to users not then logged on (offline me ssages), thus removing some differences between IM and email (often done by send ing the message to the associated email account). IM allows effective and efficient communication, allowing imme diate receipt of acknowledgment or reply. However IM is basically not necessaril y supported by transaction control. In many cases, instant messaging includes ad ded features which can make it even more popular. For example, users may see eac h other via webcams, or talk directly for free over the Internet using a microph

one and headphones or loudspeakers. Many client programs allow file transfers, a lthough they are usually limited in the permissible file-size. It is usually possible to save a text conversation for later ref erence. Instant messages are often logged in a local message history, making it similar to the persistent nature of emails. History: Instant messaging predates the Internet, first appearing on multiuser operating systems like Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS) and Multiplexe d Information and Computing Service (Multics) in the mid-1960s. Initially, some of these systems were used as notification systems for services like printing, b ut quickly were used to facilitate communication with other users logged in to t he same machine.[citation needed] As networks developed, the protocols spread wi th the networks. Some of these used a peer-to-peer protocol (e.g. talk, ntalk an d ytalk), while others required peers to connect to a server (see talker and IRC ). The Zephyr Notification Service (still in use at some institutions) was inven ted at MIT s Project Athena in the 1980s to allow service providers to locate an d send messages to users. During the bulletin board system (BBS) phenomenon that peaked during the 1980s, some systems incorporated chat features which were sim ilar to instant messaging; Freelancin Roundtable was one prime example. The fir st dedicated online chat service was the CompuServe CB Simulator in 1980, create d by CompuServe executive Alexander "Sandy" Trevor in Columbus, Ohio. Early instant messaging programs were primarily real-time text , where characters appeared as it is typed. This includes the Unix "talk" comman d line program, which was popular in the 1980s and early 1990s. Some BBS chat pr ograms (i.e. Celerity BBS) also used a similar interface. Modern implementations of real-time text also exist in instant messengers, such as AOL s Real-Time IM as an optional feature. In the latter half of the 1980s and into the early 1990s, the Quantum Link online service for Commodore 64 computers offered user-to-user mess ages between concurrently connected customers, which they called "On-Line Messag es" (or OLM for short), and later "FlashMail." (Quantum Link later became Americ a Online and made AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), discussed later). While the Quant um Link service ran on a Commodore 64, using only the Commodore s PETSCII text-g raphics, the screen was visually divided into sections and OLMs would appear as a yellow bar saying "Message From:" and the name of the sender along with the me ssage across the top of whatever the user was already doing, and presented a lis t of options for responding. As such, it could be considered a type of graphical user interface (GUI), albeit much more primitive than the later Unix, Windows a nd Macintosh based GUI IM software. OLMs were what Q-Link called "Plus Service m eaning they charged an extra per-minute fee on top of the monthly Q-Link access costs. Modern, Internet-wide, GUI-based messaging clients as they ar e known today, began to take off in the mid 1990s with PowWow, ICQ, and AOL Inst ant Messenger. Similar functionality was offered by CU-SeeMe in 1992; though pri marily an audio/video chat link, users could also send textual messages to each other. AOL later acquired Mirabilis, the authors of ICQ; a few years later ICQ ( now owned by AOL) was awarded two patents for instant messaging by the U.S. pate nt office. Meanwhile, other companies developed their own software; (Excite, MSN , Ubique, and Yahoo), each with its own proprietary protocol and client; users t herefore had to run multiple client applications if they wished to use more than one of these networks. In 1998, IBM released IBM Lotus Sametime,a product based on technology acquired when IBM bought Haifa-based Ubique and Lexington-based D atabeam. In 2000, an open source application and open standards-based p rotocol called Jabber was launched. The protocol was standardized under the name Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP). XMPP servers could act as ga teways to other IM protocols, reducing the need to run multiple clients Multi-pr otocol clients can use any of the popular IM protocols by using additional local libraries for each protocol. IBM Lotus Sametime s November 2007 release added I BM Lotus Sametime Gateway support for XMPP.

As of 2010, social networking providers often offer IM abil ities. Many instant messaging services offer video calling featur es, Voice Over IP (VoIP) and web conferencing services. Web conferencing service s can integrate both video calling and instant messaging abilities. Some instant messaging companies are also offering desktop sharing, IP radio, and IPTV to th e voice and video features. The term "Instant Messenger" is a service mark of Time W arner and may not be used in software not affiliated with AOL in the United Stat es. For this reason, in April 2007, the instant messaging client formerly named Gaim (or gaim) announced that they would be renamed "Pidgin". Clients: Each modern IM service generally provides its own client, eithe r a separately installed piece of software, or a browser-based client. These usu ally only work with the supplier company s service, although some allow limited function with other services. Third party client software applications exist tha t will connect with most of the major IM services. Adium, Digsby, Jappix, Meebo, Miranda IM, Pidgin, Qnext and Trillian are a few of the common ones. Mobil instant messaging: Mobile instant messaging (MIM) is the technolo gy that allows instant messaging services to be accessed from a portable device, ranging from standard mobile phones, to smartphones (e.g. devices using operati ng systems such as Android, Blackberry OS, iOS, Symbian OS, Windows Phone, et al .). It is done two ways: Embedded clients - tailored IM client for every specific device. Clientless platform a browser-based application that does not need to download a ny software to the handset, and which enables all users and all devices from any network to connect to their Internet IM service, ideally. In practice, browser limits can pose problems. In Web Browser: Gmail introduced instant messaging ability in its web pages, which can be used in a web browser with no need to download and install t he IM client. Later, Yahoo and Hotmail also implemented this. eBuddy and Meebo w ebsites offers instant messaging of different IM services. Generally such servic es are limited to text chat, although Gmail has voice and video abilities. As of August 2010, Gmail allows calling regular phones from their web-based IM client . Jappix is a XMPP web-client, offering the user a complete XMPP protocol features access, through a web browser. It is offered in three versions: a desktop one, a mobile one and a mini one. The last one, Jappix Mini, is a mini chat for websi tes. Friend-to-friend networks: Instant messaging may be done in a friend-to-friend network, in whi ch each node connects to the friends on the friends list. This allows for commun ication with friends of friends and for the building of chatrooms for instant me ssages with all friends on that network. IM language: Users sometimes make use of internet slang or text speak to abb reviate common words or expressions to quicken conversations or reduce keystroke s. The language has become universal, with well-known expressions such as lol translated over to face to face language. Emotions are often expressed in shorthand, such as the abbreviation LOL, BRB and TTYL; respectively laugh(ing) out loud, be right back, and talk to you later. Some, however, attempt to be more accurate with emotional expression over IM. Re al time reactions such as (chortle) (snort) (guffaw) or (eye-roll) are becoming more popular. Also there are certain standards that are being introduced into ma instream conversations including, # indicates the use of sarcasm in a statemen t and * which indicates a spelling mistake and/or grammatical error in the pri or message, followed by a correction. Business application:

Instant messaging has proven to be similar to personal compute rs, email, and the World Wide Web, in that its adoption for use as a business co mmunications medium was driven primarily by individual employees using consumer software at work, rather than by formal mandate or provisioning by corporate inf ormation technology departments. Tens of millions of the consumer IM accounts in use are being used for business purposes by employees of companies and other or ganizations. In response to the demand for business-grade IM and the need t o ensure security and legal compliance, a new type of instant messaging, called "Enterprise Instant Messaging" ("EIM") was created when Lotus Software launched IBM Lotus Sametime in 1998. Microsoft followed suit shortly thereafter with Micr osoft Exchange Instant Messaging, later created a new platform called Microsoft Office Live Communications Server, and released Office Communications Server 200 7 in October 2007. Oracle Corporation has also jumped into the market recently w ith its Oracle Beehive unified collaboration software. Both IBM Lotus and Micros oft have introduced federation between their EIM systems and some of the public IM networks so that employees may use one interface to both their internal EIM s ystem and their contacts on AOL, MSN, and Yahoo! As of 2010, leading EIM platfor ms include IBM Lotus Sametime, Microsoft Office Communications Server, Jabber XC P and Cisco Unified Presence. Industry-focused EIM platforms as Reuters Messagin g and Bloomberg Messaging also provide enhanced IM abilities to financial servic es companies. The adoption of IM across corporate networks outside of the c ontrol of IT organizations creates risks and liabilities for companies who do no t effectively manage and support IM use. Companies implement specialized IM arch iving and security products and services to mitigate these risks and provide saf e, secure, productive instant messaging abilities to their employees. Review of products: IM products can usually be categorised into two types: Ente rprise Instant Messaging (EIM) and Consumer Instant Messaging (CIM). Enterprise solutions use an internal IM server, however this isn t always feasible, particu larly for smaller businesses with limited budgets. The second option, using a CI M provides the advantage of being inexpensive to implement and has little need f or investing in new hardware or server software. For corporate use encryption and conversation archiving are usually regarded as important features due to security concerns. Sometimes the u se of different operating systems in organizations requires use of software that supports more than one platform. For example many software companies use Window s XP in administration departments but have software developers who use Linux. Risks and liabilities Although instant messaging delivers many benefits, it also carries w ith it certain risks and liabilities, particularly when used in workplaces. Amon g these risks and liabilities are: Security risks (e.g. IM used to infect computers with spyware, viruses, trojans, worms) Compliance risks Inappropriate use Trade secret leakage Security risks: Crackers (malicious "hacker" or [black hat] hacker) have consiste ntly used IM networks as vectors for delivering phishing attempts, "poison URLs" , and virus-laden file attachments from 2004 to the present, with over 1100 disc rete attacks listed by the IM Security Center in 2004-2007. Hackers use two meth ods of delivering malicious code through IM: delivery of viruses, trojan horses, or spyware within an infected file, and the use of "socially engineered" text w ith a web address that entices the recipient to click on a URL connecting him or her to a website that then downloads malicious code. Viruses, computer worms, a nd trojans usually propagate by sending themselves rapidly through the infected user s contact list. An effective attack using a poisoned URL may reach tens of thousands of users in a short period when each user s contact list receives mess

ages appearing to be from a trusted friend. The recipients click on the web addr ess, and the entire cycle starts again. Infections may range from nuisance to cr iminal, and are becoming more sophisticated each year. IM connections usually occur in plain text, making them vulnerable to eavesdropp ing. Also, IM client software often requires the user to expose open UDP ports t o the world, raising the threat posed by potential security vulnerabilities. Compliance risks: In addition to the malicious code threat, the use of instant mes saging at work also creates a risk of non-compliance to laws and regulations gov erning use of electronic communications in businesses. In the United States alon e there are over 10,000 laws and regulations related to electronic messaging and records retention. The better-known of these include the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, HI PAA, and SEC 17a-3. Clarification from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authori ty (FINRA) was issued to member firms in the financial services industry in Dece mber, 2007, noting that "electronic communications", "email", and "electronic co rrespondence" may be used interchangeably and can include such forms of electron ic messaging as instant messaging and text messaging. Changes to Federal Rules o f Civil Procedure, effective December 1, 2006, created a new category for electr onic records which may be requested during discovery in legal proceedings. Most nations also regulate use of electronic messaging and electronic records retenti on in similar fashion as the United States. The most common regulations related to IM at work involve the need to produce archived business communications to sa tisfy government or judicial requests under law. Many instant messaging communic ations fall into the category of business communications that must be archived a nd retrievable. Inappropriate use: Organizations of all types must protect themselves from the liabilit y of their employees inappropriate use of IM. The informal, immediate, and oste nsibly anonymous nature of instant messaging makes it a candidate for abuse in t he workplace. The topic of inappropriate IM use became front page news in Octobe r 2006 when U.S. Congressman Mark Foley resigned his seat after admitting sendin g offensive instant messages of a sexual nature to underage former House pages f rom his Congressional office PC. The Mark Foley Scandal led to media coverage an d mainstream newspaper articles warning of the risks of inappropriate IM use in workplaces. In most nations, corporations have a legal responsibility to ensure harassment-free work environment for employees. The use of corporate-owned compu ters, networks, and software to harass an individual or spread inappropriate jok es or language creates a liability for not only the offender but also the employ er. A survey by IM archiving and security provider Akonix Systems, Inc. in March 2007 showed that 31% of respondents had been harassed over IM at work. Companie s now include instant messaging as an integral component of their policies on ap propriate use of the World Wide Web, email, and other corporate assets. Security and archiving: In the early 2000s, a new class of IT security provider emerged to provide remedies for the risks and liabilities faced by corporations who chos e to use IM for business communications. The IM security providers created new p roducts to be installed in corporate networks for the purpose of archiving, cont ent-scanning, and security-scanning IM traffic moving in and out of the corporat ion. Similar to the e-mail filtering vendors, the IM security providers focus on the risks and liabilities described above. With rapid adoption of IM in the workplace, demand for IM security products began to grow in the mid-2000s. By 2007, the preferred platform for th e purchase of security software had become the "computer appliance", according t o IDC, who estimate that by 2008, 80% of network security products will be deliv ered via an appliance. DANGERS OF INTERNET CHAT ROOMS & INSTANR MESSAGING: People frequently use Internet chat rooms and instant messaging to en gage in enjoyable conversation with like-minded people, friends and family membe rs. But there are dangers involved with usage. Other users may conceal their tru

e identity, reveal too much information or find themselves in a legal tangle. Qu ality of life may weaken, and there are additional concerns for children. When spending time instant messaging or in Internet chat rooms, be aw are that not everyone may be presenting him or herself correctly. Be wary of any one seeking information about a home address or bank account number. But also re member that the dashing online suitor might be exaggerating positive characteris tics or that "Dr. Bob" may not be a doctor. The British Internet trend website Internet Phenomenon notes the emerge nce of "sock puppets," people who purposely mislead others about true identity, opinions and beliefs. Most people don t have time to waste talking with a "prete nd" online friend. There s something comfortingly anonymous about sharing intimate thought s or concerns in the privacy of an online chat room. But remember that hardly an ything that takes place online can be considered truly private or anonymous. Bew are of sharing negative views of bosses, co-workers, family members or friends--there s no guarantee that they re not part of that same online community, under an unfamiliar name. Over-sharing can lead to identity theft, hurt feelings or a diminished reputation Be aware that some chat rooms and instant messaging sites have legal sti pulations that protect users. Some sites may have rules that internal messages s hould not be forwarded or quoted outside the site. These messages become copyrig hted, and misusing the content could lead to legal ramifications. Additionally, people who violate the No Electronic Theft Act, which relat es to using other people s copyrighted material, can be subject to fines and pri son time Excessive use of Internet chat rooms or instant messaging can lead to In ternet addiction. Because online dialogues constantly shift, some users find the mselves sucked into a cycle of logging online to avoid "missing" something. Sign s of addiction can include feeling guilty about time spent online or neglecting loved ones to spend time online. While chat rooms and instant messaging can facilitate new online friendsh ips, keep in mind that maintaining a balanced quality of life in the real world is also important. Online predators use Internet chat rooms and instant messaging to establ ish communication with children. While predators may initially make contact with children in chat rooms, they may eventually steer conversation toward more priv ate communication via instant messaging, email or even telephone. There is alway s a possibility that an online predator may seek in-person contact with children first encountered online. Carefully monitor child use of Internet chat rooms an d instant messaging looking for signs of misuse---for example, if a child freque ntly minimizes the computer screen when adults walk by. REFERENCES: www.ansers.com www.scribd.com www.google.co.in Wikipedia CompuServe Innovator Resigns After 25 Years, The Columbus Dispatch, 11 May 1996, p. 2F Wired and Inspired, The Columbus Dispatch (Business page), by Mike Pramik, 12 No vember 2000 Chatiquette - guidelines for chatting online. Rmi A. van Compernolle (2008). Nous versus on: Pronouns with first-person plural reference in synchronous French chat. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1 1(2) McMahon S. "Chat Room Safety Advice". http://www.chat-rooms-online.com/chat-safe ty.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-19. Fears of Internet predators unfounded, study finds Instant Messaging on CTSS and Multics CompuServe Innovator Resigns After 25 Years, The Columbus Dispatch, 11 May 1996,

p. 2F Wired and Inspired, The Columbus Dispatch (Business page), by Mike Pramik, 12 No vember 2000 AOL Instant Messenger s Real-Time IM feature RealJabber.org s animation of real-time text. Screenshot of a Quantum Link OLM Summary of final decisions issued by the trademark trial and appeal board, Janua ry 16-20, 2006 "Important and Long Delayed News", Announcement of Gaim renaming (to Pidgin), Ap ril 6, 2007 "The decline of instant messaging". BBC News. 2010-05-24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/ 2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8698174.stm.