Seems to be a trend lately. Google recently announced they will start blocking downloads from http websites. Doesn't sound like a bad idea -- but isn't this more a discussion for IETF as well?
The more I think about it the more I realise Microsoft's and AOL's instincts were right. Make the internet a walled garden and insert yourself as the gatekeeper.
Their mistake was to do this too early. ~25 years later and the people are now finally ready and willing to allow billion dollar coporates to overtly "manage" their on-line experience for them. Companies love this too because it removes yet one more unseemly shackle from their ambition (i.e. that of needing to work collaboratively with potential competitors) while at the same time providing them with a nice vector to defend their quasi monopoly.