The Nintendo 3DS messaging services have been terminated. We'll miss you, Nikki.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/35863
Nintendo's 3DS message relay service, known as Swapnote in the USA and Nintendo Letter Box in other regions, has had its SpotPass functionality disabled abruptly and permanently, essentially terminating the application. Flipnote Studio 3D, which was so far only released in Japan but had been set for a future release in the West, shares the same fate.
The decision was made after Nintendo discovered that some people had been exchanging friend codes with minors online, then sending offensive material to them through the two 3DS messaging services.
Swapnote Special Notes with custom stationery, often sent from Nintendo to promote new games, will also no longer be sent. StreetPass functionality remains intact, though of limited use since it only functions for friends who pass by each other physically, and only one note can be set for transmission at a time.
Nintendo has offered an apology to those who actively used both applications responsibly. The company will continue to raise awareness of the 3DS parental control options, but at this time a reactivation of either service seems unlikely.
There is no word as to whether Wii U communications will be affected.
The part that gets me is where people first had to trade Friend Codes with minors online before exposing them to offensive material on Swapnote so essentially, Nintendo is assuming responsibility for people's behavior outside of their sphere of influence then punishing everyone for it. What's really happening is that every time someone somewhere used Nintendo's services inappropriately, Nintendo is just going say, "Well, we just won't have that anymore." Why even go through the trouble of offering new products and services ever then? Don't even fucking bother if you're going to shy away at the first sign of trouble. I can break someone's jaw by swinging a Wii U into it, better stop production immediately. It's that kind of faulty logic that makes this especially frustrating and I didn't even really use Swapnote.
And if Friend Codes were designed to deter degenerates from this kind of nonsense, good job, Nintendo, that idea failed, but no one needed to see it fail in practice to figure that out. It's not going to get better because people are not going to get better. They're only as good as they allow themselves to be and even then, what is good is so abstract anyway that this whole situation is ultimately pointless. Either get your **** together or don't even bother being connected whatsoever. Don't take half-steps and half-measures then get a fussy when some idiots don't play nice. It sucks for everyone who's using your things properly and productively.
For those who are upset about Swapnote - Call 1-800-255-3700, choose option 2, then option 3. Be polite, but firm.
It's just the Friends gallery. And I actually think that this is sorted out now (really who cares about Swapnote) it will be released this month.
Whoops, school kids are sexting each other, time to shut down cell phone services.It isn't that simple. These are services provided by nintendo on a closed nintendo network operating on a closed nintendo console. It would be extremely easy to sue Nintendo for facilitating illegal activity on their services and with kids being the main focus for the system letting something like this go without any form of action would become a nightmare. More then likely Miiverse will take the role of swapnote pretty soon anyways.
Actually, it wouldn't be easy to sue Nintendo at all.But the lawsuit alone would make great tabloid fodder. 'Mario creator under fire over child pornography case'
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Look it up.
If Miiverse ever gets to the 3DS, this won't matter much. I never used SwapNote much, did a lot more reading than sending, but this still seems like an overreaction and I hope that it doesn't snowball into the cancellation of other Nintendo services and results in even less communication in online Nintendo games in the future.The issue is swapnote isn't under any form of moderation. Nintendo will likely just drop support for the app (although I wouldn't be surprised if nikki showed up again at some point)
Actually, it wouldn't be easy to sue Nintendo at all.But the lawsuit alone would make great tabloid fodder. 'Mario creator under fire over child pornography case'
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Look it up.
And that law only applies to the US
A thought occurs to me - what's the difference between this and the messaging service that we had for years on the Wii?
Too much disappointment!
I'm done with Nintendo!
A thought occurs to me - what's the difference between this and the messaging service that we had for years on the Wii?You can't draw your own messages on the Wii, just type stuff. I imagine part of the problem was drawings of nasty imagery. That said, I think you could send a photo if you imported it from the Photo Channel first... so there isn't too much difference. Of course, it was more of a hassle to do that, so maybe no one misused the Wii messaging?
Those "video games are evil" people are usually parents, that usually have gamers as their children, who become more passionate about games because of their insane parents. These parents would take a hammer to every electronic device in the house if they so much as read the headline "Mario creator under fire over child pornography case!" Nintendo knew it was either their small Flipnote app, or the lives of millions of kids, and teens all over the world.Actually, it wouldn't be easy to sue Nintendo at all.But the lawsuit alone would make great tabloid fodder. 'Mario creator under fire over child pornography case'
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Look it up.
And that law only applies to the US
Good, then don't discontinue the service in the US.
(I'm curious though - don't most other free-world countries have a similar law? Because the idea that Nintendo should be liable for what's sent over Swapnote is about as insane as the idea that Verizon should be held liable for what's said over your cell phone...)
And I don't think the lawsuit would make great headlines at all. I think most sane folks would see though it and the insane ones are the ones who already think video games are evil.
