You can "opt out" of chat simply by changing your privacy settings. But Tony strongly encourages you not to do that. Why? Because he has found that being part of this supportive banjo community can greatly accelerate your banjo playing progress. And every person at the TTSB wants to learn to play banjo better. The whole community is friendly and respectful, and you should not need to worry about anonymous bad Internet behavior here. You can make new online friends from all over the world. You are safe here, and interaction is key. That said, if you still prefer not to participate in chat, go to your "My Student Page", then go to the "User Info" tab, then the "Privacy Settings" tab. Once there, you can manage your "visibility".