New Disney site limits self-expression

Iger had identified the new Disney.com as one of the company's most important initiatives to come this year, and the changes are bringing added scrutiny because of Iger's reputation as a supporter of Internet distribution and new media models.

As previewed by Iger at his keynote address to the annual Consumer Electronics Show here this week, the new website emphasizes Disney's varied content rather than means for fans to create their own material or find and communicate with one another.

"People are going online looking to be entertained," Iger said. "This gives you, in effect, a character experience online."

Site visitors can enter pages devoted to many of Disney's most popular animated figures. They can customize the Disney page so it greets them with their favorite movie clips, music videos and games.

They can alter the appearance, size and number of a handful of windows, which have such features as a media player or a list of friends who might be available for online chats. Visitors can also share what they have done with others.

But unlike the vast majority of social networking sites, Disney.com won't let users post photos or write about themselves or other things on their home pages.

Paul Yanover, the executive vice president of Disney Online, said in a briefing that the company was "looking at creating a journal system." But he added, "We are not going to jump into a place where users can upload pictures of themselves."

Yanover said Disney was imposing the restrictive atmosphere out of concern for children's safety, which has been a hot-button issue at MySpace and other major networking sites.

Analysts said that the more than 50 games already available, plus other content, could be a draw for younger children, and forthcoming immersive and multi-player games including one based on "Pirates of the Caribbean" could bring in older children.

But they cautioned that the closed universe might turn away some of the teenagers Disney has been reaching on the Disney Channel with such hits as "High School Musical" and the "Pirates" movies.