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Article

Title: Facebook Throws Down Online Chat Challenge

Author: Allison, Kevin Article Type: Company
Source: Financial Times, pCI21(1) Publication Date: Mar 19, 2008
URL of Publication: http://www.ft.com

A new chat service from Facebook will likely take away some traffic from established instant messenger services, as well as from existing chat applications on Facebook set up by outside developers last year. The new service is in direct competition with Microsoft, AOL, and other makers of instant messaging programs. Facebook's new chat service, which should launch in the coming weeks, will allow its 60 million users to chat with other Facebook members online. Although the service will be free, it is more limited that many other chat programs. Chats can only take place between Facebook members, and chats among multiple friends are not possible. Members can choose to use any of the existing chat applications by simply removing Facebook's chat feature and swapping it with another. Still, the new service will not be well-received by software developers who have set up chat services designed to run on the website's popular application platform. Facebook also tried to facilitate closure regarding Beacon, its controversial advertising technology, by unveiling new privacy features that gives users more control over who sees what regarding information uploaded to the website.

Companies:
AOL LLC Facebook Inc
Microsoft Corp

Products:
Chat

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