I just received a SpotPass notification from Nintendo.
"Thank you for your support.
Nintendo has learned that some costumers, including minors, have been exchanging their friend codes on Internet bulletin boards and then using Swapnote (known as Nintendo Letter Box in other regions) to exchange offensive material. Nintendo has been investigating ways os preventing this and determined it is best to stop the SpotPass feature of Swapnote because it allows direct exchange of photos and was actively misused.
Nintendo always wants to provide a positive experience for all costumers and limit the risk of any inappropriate activity or misuse of a service. We feel it is important on this occasion to take this action.
We are very sorry for any inconvenience to the many costumers who have been using this service responsibly; however this decision was made considering the point that many minors also use this feature of Swapnote. Thank you for your understanding.
Nintendo will continue to work to ensure more costumers are aware of our Parental Control features, which allow parent to manage their children's experience on our systems. For more information, please visit here or select the Internet browser button below:
http>//www.nintendo.com/consumer/infor/en_na/parents.jsp
Service stop date: Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, 7 p.m. PT
Service being stopped: Nintendo 3DS software Swapnote - Sending and receiving notes using SpotPass
Affected regions: All regions where the service was offered
Special Notes services are also stopped
-Nintendo"
"Thank you for your support.
Nintendo has learned that some costumers, including minors, have been exchanging their friend codes on Internet bulletin boards and then using Swapnote (known as Nintendo Letter Box in other regions) to exchange offensive material. Nintendo has been investigating ways os preventing this and determined it is best to stop the SpotPass feature of Swapnote because it allows direct exchange of photos and was actively misused.
Nintendo always wants to provide a positive experience for all costumers and limit the risk of any inappropriate activity or misuse of a service. We feel it is important on this occasion to take this action.
We are very sorry for any inconvenience to the many costumers who have been using this service responsibly; however this decision was made considering the point that many minors also use this feature of Swapnote. Thank you for your understanding.
Nintendo will continue to work to ensure more costumers are aware of our Parental Control features, which allow parent to manage their children's experience on our systems. For more information, please visit here or select the Internet browser button below:
http>//www.nintendo.com/consumer/infor/en_na/parents.jsp
Service stop date: Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, 7 p.m. PT
Service being stopped: Nintendo 3DS software Swapnote - Sending and receiving notes using SpotPass
Affected regions: All regions where the service was offered
Special Notes services are also stopped
-Nintendo"