Not only are they claiming that Apple and Microsoft decided that, and at the same time, but in my case two different versions of outlook on two different versions of windows made that decision. One version of outlook hadn't been updated for some time, the other was updated May 13th but just made that change this week; that one is on WIndows 7 that didn't and doesn't do upgrades anymore. So Microsoft implemented that change in a program I have installed on my PC without updating it.
One rep told me to take it to a local support/repair shop (pay for service and there's nothing they can do or even find). The other told me to contact Microsoft (I guess to ask if they implemented a secret change without updating the program... or maybe that they made a change to AOL's server (oh, and Yahoo's too).
Actually, although I think they changed something, it's possible that they're both using the same server platform and unbeknownst to them there was a change made that did this. But it's also not unlikely that THEY made the change, but didn't consider it worth mentioning to their support people. Trust me, that happens all too often. So they may be correct to the best of their knowledge. BUT a twitter campaign might force them to look into it.