
Question: Would you please comment on Chatroulette and Omegle? These apps were recently brought to my attention. I know they are for ages 18 and over, but they seem like they would appeal to teens who are feeling isolated. Can you comment on the risks and/or potential benefits of using these platforms?
Answer: Thank you for pointing out that anonymous online video chat platforms like Chatroulette and Omegle, while designed for adults, may still be used by youth! It can be tricky to find the best ways to educate and advise parents on these riskier platforms in a way that doesn’t also serve as continued promotion to curious teens. Chatroulette was created in 2009, and Omegle was founded in 2010, so these apps are a bit dated compared to many of the popular social media apps used by teens currently.
Chatroulette is still available today, whereas Omegle was removed from the Internet in 2023. Imitation sites that you may have come across online (e.g., Chat for Omegle, Free Omegle Chat, Omeglers, etc.) are copycats of the original Omegle platform. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Omegle was involved in a series of investigations related to sexually explicit videos and live streams with children as young as 7 or 8 years old. Other reports of racism, extremist perspectives, scams, and cyberbullying occurred as well. Misuse of the platform, difficulties moderating content, criticisms of the app, and stresses and expenses around attempts to make it safer led to the shutdown of Omegle.
How do anonymous online video chat services work?
When a user logs into Chatroulette, they’ll see a white window with two boxes. One box shows their own video through their webcam, while the other box is their “Partner.” The user can choose to stay and text or video chat when the Partner appears on camera, or they can hit “Next,” which will bring them into a new window with a new individual to talk to.
There are other risky platforms that tweens and teens have been found to use such as Obimy (allows random contacts between users), Monkey (allows users to chat with "new people all over the world"), TIYA (allows chats with "strangers and friends"), LMK (allows instant talking and dropping into audio rooms with strangers), and Kik (allows chats with friends or strangers, one-on-one and in groups; emphasizes the ability to “meet new friends” within the app). New platforms pop up in app stores all the time.
Why are platforms like Omegle and Chatroulette risky?
Any platform that connects children or teens with adults that they don’t know is risky. This is because child predators and other bad actors can access children and teens and bully, sexually exploit, or manipulate them. Platforms like these don’t have the type of settings that we would normally expect to ensure child safety, such as private accounts, age assurance, or content filtering. Although Chatroulette states their platform is for users 18 and older, it contains no guardrails to prevent younger children from accessing the platform. Therefore, child and adolescent users are at risk of experiencing unsafe and exploitative interactions.
In addition to exposure to sexually explicit behaviors in Chatroulette and Omegle (e.g., obscene, offending, or pornographic material) and loose login/registration age requirements, spam is also prominent on these platforms. One study found that the largest spam campaign on online video chat websites is dating scams. About 80% of spam popping up during video calls is linked to unsafe sites promoting dating services that are inappropriate for youth.
Are there benefits to these types of platforms? Why may teens be drawn to platforms that provide online spaces to talk with random strangers?
There are no benefits to these types of platforms – only risks. Teens should be discouraged from using them due to the high potential for online abuse and related serious mental health effects. However, it’s important to understand why teens might be motivated to explore them – so that you can help address those motivations in healthier ways. For example, teens who feel socially isolated among their peers or lonely may seek out connections and social interaction via anonymous apps like Omegle or Chatroulette. Teens may also think that it’s both funny and fun to stay anonymous – it may feel exciting or thrilling to them that they could see something they probably shouldn’t. Other drivers might be boredom, curiosity, and the desire to take risks, much like telling friends a scary story or playing truth-or-dare.
How to talk to parents/caregivers about riskier, scarier, anonymous apps:
- Encourage parents to discuss what types of platforms their child is using. Make sure conversations are happening regularly and are low-stress and guilt-free.
- Encourage download controls on child and teen devices, so that they can’t install apps outside of their age range.
- Find other outlets for the teen’s drive to connect with others. Are they involved in extracurriculars like sports teams, music, or theater, where they’re taking risks outside their comfort zone and meeting new individuals with similar interests?
- Find an outlet for risk-taking and exploration that is safer and healthier:
- Another form of media that can do this is video games – an alternative that can satisfy needs for excitement and entertainment. The Family Gaming Database website has ideas for high-quality, non-violent video games.
- Thrill-seeking kids or teens will likely enjoy moving their bodies in fun ways too. A trampoline park, a ropes course, or rock climbing are some activities to try out.
- If parents suspect that their child may be using a riskier anonymous app like Chatroulette, encourage them to have a supportive conversation to determine the child’s motivations and to better understand what they are going through. At the same time, it is critical that teens know the real risks of chatting with strangers – including the potential for abuse and exploitation that can contribute to depression and suicidality.
References
- Anderson, M., Vogels, E. A., Perrin, A., & Rainie, L. (2022, November 16). Connection, creativity and drama: Teen life on social media in 2022. Pew Research Center.
- Internet Matters. (n.d.). What is Omegle? What parents need to know. Internet Matters. Retrieved May 13, 2025, from
- Internet Matters. (2023, November 23). Why do teens use anonymous apps like Omegle? Internet Matters.
- Liang, Y.-L., Xing, X., Cheng, H., Dang, J., Huang, S., Han, R., Liu, X., Lv, Q., & Mishra, S. (2013). SafeVchat: A System for Obscene Content Detection in Online Video Chat Services. ACM Trans. Internet Technol., 12(4), 13:1-13:26.
- R. B. Fisher, D. A. Forsyth, and J. P. H. Howard. (2010). Lowering the barrier to applying machine learning. In UIST '10: Adjunct Proceedings of the 23rd Annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (pp. 126–127). Association for Computing Machinery.
- Radesky, J. S., Weeks, H. M., Schaller, A., Robb, M. B., Mann, S., & Lenhart, A. (2023). Constant companion: A week in the life of a young person's smartphone use. Common Sense Media. Retrieved May 13, 2025, from
- Tidy, J. (2021, February 18). Omegle: Children expose themselves on video chat site. BBC News.
- Xing, X., Ahn, J., Lee, W., Han, R., & Mishra, S. (2012). An Empirical Study of Spam and Prevention Mechanisms in Online Video Chat Services (arXiv:1204.2774). arXiv.
Age: 13-17
Topics: Chatroulette, Omegle, anonymous online video chat
Role: Clinician

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Last Updated
05/22/2025
Source
American Academy of Pediatrics