Omegle

Omegle was a website that allows one to talk with one person anonymously and randomly without signing up.^[1] The nicknames that are used are "You" and "Stranger". It was started in late March 2009 by an eighteen-year-old, Leif K-Brooks, who lives in Vermont.

On November 8, 2023, Leif K-Brooks announced Omegle's shutdown, attributing it to insurmountable challenges and highlighting his efforts to maintain user safety amidst growing misuse and societal fear.

Features[change | change source]

The website has started using a lot of new things in the chat. One thing is that people can chat using webcams. Another feature of Omegle (which has since been removed from the website) was that one person could ask something while watching two other strangers discussing it. Usually, the asker couldn’t talk, but they could watch them discuss the question. You can also type in common interests, these will only connect you to people who have the same interests.

Criticism[change | change source]

The website does not ban users because of their age. A user may experience nudity or sexual content on camera.^[2] K-Brooks says, that at one time, he felt "disappointment" at the way in which the site has been used.^[2] Since 2013, Omegle has monitored the video chats. There is a moderated video section and an unmoderated video section. The unmoderated video section is for adults who are 18 and over. The moderated video section is for everyone. If someone is seen naked on the moderated video section, they will be banned and only be able to use the unmoderated section.