To remove it as a profile option you need to go to:
admin cp>styles and templates>style manager>edit templates>modify user option templates>modify profile
This is what I ended up removing from the template:
Code:
<fieldset class="fieldset">
<legend>$vbphrase[instant_messaging]</legend>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="$stylevar[formspacer]" border="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<td colspan="2">$vbphrase[may_enter_identity_for_im]</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>$vbphrase[icq_number]<br />
<img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/im_icq.gif" alt="" />
<input type="text" class="bginput" name="icq" value="$bbuserinfo[icq]" size="25" maxlength="30" dir="ltr" /></td>
<td>$vbphrase[aim_screen_name]<br />
<img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/im_aim.gif" alt="" />
<input type="text" class="bginput" name="aim" value="$bbuserinfo[aim]" size="25" maxlength="30" dir="ltr" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>$vbphrase[msn_messenger_handle]<br />
<img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/im_msn.gif" alt="" />
<input type="text" class="bginput" name="msn" value="$bbuserinfo[msn]" size="25" maxlength="50" dir="ltr" /></td>
<td>$vbphrase[yahoo_messenger_handle]<br />
<img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/im_yahoo.gif" alt="" />
<input type="text" class="bginput" name="yahoo" value="$bbuserinfo[yahoo]" size="25" maxlength="30" dir="ltr" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>$vbphrase[skype_name]<br />
<img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/im_skype.gif" alt="" />
<input type="text" class="bginput" name="skype" value="$bbuserinfo[skype]" size="25" maxlength="32" dir="ltr" /></td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
</table>
</fieldset>
Removing this means the option doesnt appear in posts or their profiles or anywhere else in forum because the option isnt in a members profile for them to fill in.
Tinks