Internet browsers being disabled on LinkNYC kiosks

NEW YORK CITY (FOX5NY) - The web browsing features on the LinkNYC kiosks are being removed after a series of quality-of-life complaints from people loitering around them for extended periods to even a man arrested for masturbating at one of them earlier this week.

There have been reports since their launch that the kiosks were hot spots for watching porn and doing drugs.

The feature was to start being disabled on Wednesday.  An administration source says it is a two-phase process that could take up to 48-hours to complete.

The mayor's office says, "Removing the internet browser from LinkNYC tablets will not affect the other great services LinkNYC provides - superfast Wi-Fi, free phone calls, or access to key City services."  The city people browsing the internet on their own phone will not be affected.

Since the project launched, there have been nearly 400 Links installed in three boroughs.  The plan calls for 7,500 of the links to be installed in the next several years.  The kiosks are replacing pay phones.