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Microsoft IM Blocking YouTube Links

Posted by kdawson on from the walled-playground dept.

A number of readers are sending word that the blogosphere and Twittersphere are alight with reports of Microsoft's new block on messages containing YouTube URLs. Both MSN Messenger and Windows Live Messenger reportedly implement the block. One blogger sniffed the network to discover that such messages receive a NAK from Microsoft's servers. Microsoft has been blocking messages by keyword, as an anti-phishing measure, for some time, but *.youtube.com would not seem to provoke much worry about phishing. Instead, as B.E.T.A Daily speculates, "This block seems to be related to the recent launch of Messenger TV in 20 countries which allows for sharing video clips from MSN Video on Messenger." Hard to get away with in an arena where you don't enjoy a monopoly.

9 of 364 comments (clear)

  1. Re:First by Roadstar · · Score: 5, Informative

    In all seriousness, I've been sending YouTube links around (and receiving them) just fine. Dunno where the problem is.

    Well, I tried both Adium and the official Messenger for Mac, and YouTube links got blocked on both of them.

  2. Re:I call BS by stg · · Score: 4, Informative

    That is very easy to test. I tested it yesterday with a friend and also today and in both cases the url send failed.

    If I remove the http and www it works, it also works if I change the youtube domain name...

  3. Re:I call BS by ShinSugoi · · Score: 4, Informative

    Just tried it. They are indeed blocking Youtube links; You'll get an error immediately if you try to send someone a message including a URL with youtube.com in it.

  4. Re:I call BS by Vampyre_Dark · · Score: 4, Informative

    Mod me down. They literally must have implemented it in the last 15 minutes, because as of right now, they are blocked, but weren't (for me) right before the I posted the first time.

  5. Re:Just use a different IM client... by quanticle · · Score: 4, Informative

    The thing is, this isn't being blocked at the client level. Its the servers that are blocking these links. Even if you switch to a different client, like Adium, or Pidgin, these links will be filtered.

    --
    We all know what to do, but we don't know how to get re-elected once we have done it
  6. More sites appear blocked as well by ThreeGigs · · Score: 5, Informative

    deviantart.com
    googlepages.com
    mediafire.com
    ebuddy.com
    xanga.com

    Workaround: don't add the "http://" in front of the address.

  7. Re:Um, they don't have an IM monopoly! by Stormwatch · · Score: 4, Informative

    As I understand it, both AOL and Yahoo have more IM users than MS does
    Depends where you look. Here in Brazil, for example, everyone uses MSN (usually the official client -- a security minefield and a disgraceful interface). And there was some story here, I recall, about how ICQ was still the leader at some countries.
    --
    Circumcision is child abuse.
  8. Re:from RFC 4824 : NAK is by heatdeath · · Score: 4, Informative

    Not a TCP NAK, an MSNP NAK. MSNP messaging uses a NAK'ing model. (So, unless you get a response back, your message is assumed to have succeeded)

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  9. Re:Its not censorship by Curien · · Score: 4, Informative

    The English word "censorship" has a long and glorious history of applying to entities other than governments. But by all means, continue with your Orwellian attempts to change the language to suit a particular political view.

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