| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that this chat site’s catchphrase, "Talk to strangers!", says it all. Though created by an 18-year-old, Omegle is not for kids. The site puts two strangers together in a chat room. Though chats start out anonymous, users often ask for and share personal information. Language is uncensored and sexual come-ons and requests for email addresses are common. Omegle can be fun when both users desire a real conversation. It might be worth the effort for older teens willing to sift through the trash talk. But younger kids, especially girls, should steer clear.
Omegle takes anonymous two-person chat to the next, satirical level with its tongue-in-cheek "Talk to strangers!" slogan and “You” and “Stranger” chat handles. The interface is barebones, but the 'tude makes it a hipper choice some other chat sites. There are even iPhone and iPod versions for "strangers on the go." Meeting a (possibly beautiful) stranger online gives anonymous chat sites like Omegle an element of danger and excitement that most kids crave. Teen creator Leif K-Brooks describes it simply as a place to "make new friends," and we did chat with some nice kids. But it's also a fertile hunting ground for sexual predators who can take advantage of the anonymity. K-Brooks says he's working to make the site safer. Until then we don't recommend it for kids younger than 17.
Online interaction: Stranger-to-stranger chat sites tend to have more than their share of meat-market behavior. Judging from how quickly we got dumped every time we identified as a male, there are lots of boys here -- or men pretending to be boys -- on the prowl.
Is there anything to be gained from talking to strangers on an uncensored chat site like Omegle? What makes people say silly or ugly things to complete strangers? Read our tips on social networking.
Revisit Internet rules of safety: never share your real name, age, phone number, or address with people you don’t know.
| Genre: | Social Networking |
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