MSN silent on censored Messenger messages

MSN has refused to confirm whether it is censoring messages sent across the MSN Messenger network.

Computeractive tried sending messages containing the phrase download.php, as might be found in a web link. Although the message appeared to have been sent, the recipient never got it. There was no warning on the sender's PC, as might happen if someone was sending a picture to a computer that cannot receive it.

In a statement, MSN said that it had added a security feature to MSN Messenger to prevent users from accidentally clicking on links sent in messages but said nothing about whether the messages would be blocked.

A spokesperson for AOL said that AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) does not censor messages sent over the AIM network. A quick test in the office confirmed this.