Lycos shuts down some Web sites

Associated Press

WALTHAM, Mass. — Web portal Lycos said yesterday that it mistakenly shut down an unknown number of Web sites through its Tripod Web hosting service during the weekend while cutting off customers who violated their service agreement.

Lycos spokeswoman Dorianne Almann said the company regularly shuts down sites for prohibited member conduct, including threats to minors, stalking, and racially or ethnically offensive material.

She said a number of sites that did not violate the agreement were also mistakenly shut down, but would be restored within 24 to 48 hours.

"The pages that were removed on purpose were in direct violation,'' Almann said. But shutting down the other pages "was definitely not something we did on purpose.''

Almann said sites operated through Lycos' Angelfire site may also have been affected. She said she did not know how many sites were affected.

Lycos, owned by Spanish conglomerate Terra Lycos, is the fourth most visited digital media property, with over 32 million unique visitors last month, according to research by Media Metrix.