Sending messages to friends via web page seems to have changed. Am I missing something?

[Riff Gaffer]

I used to correspond with a couple of friends using messages on the web page. This was useful if I was unable to log in world, for example when at work. I'd not used that for a while and now that feature seems to have been removed with little or no announcement?

 

Can anyone confirm that or has it changed so I can't see how to do it now? 

[steph Arnott]

Linden Labs have disabled that because of abuse, at the moment it is perminant.