And why? Well, AOL's strange terms of use for AIM enforce the surrender of all rights and all privacy in the data transported over the AIM network. Verbatim:
In addition, by posting Content on an AIM Product, you grant AOL, its parent, affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, agents and licensees the irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide right to reproduce, display, perform, distribute, adapt and promote this Content in any medium. You waive any right to privacy. You waive any right to inspect or approve uses of the Content or to be compensated for any such uses.
Sorry, what? Have they gone mad? These terms of use should actually be completely illegal in Germany - I don't think you can absolve yourself of all responsibility and the user of all rights through a disclaimer ...
iChat is based on AIM as a transport network. Hence the subject. It's time to work with clients like Fire where you can switch to Jabber for example - a network of servers that, on the one hand, are not under the central control of a company and, on the other hand, can be easily expanded with your own server. Moreover, the technical protocol is better ...
The CCC also operates a Jabber server. The topic of AOL terms of use was also taken up there. The use of the server is also free of charge and no changes are currently planned. So I am now available via instant messaging at hugo at jabber.ccc.de, if I am reachable. The AIM and ICQ (also belongs to AOL!) accounts that I still have will probably be closed. Jabber accounts are now really trivial to get and there is no reason to use the outdated and proprietary protocols anymore. (Found via Ted Leung)