Omegle: The potentially dangerous chat site where your teen might be interacting with total strangers  

One of the most important rules of safety in person and online that parents keep reiterating to their kids is to not talk to strangers. Imagine a website which actually encourages youngsters to do so. Sounds scary? Well, such a website does exist and it’s called Omegle. At its best, it’s a platform which allows users to connect via text or video with others from anywhere in the world. At its worst, it exposes teens to online predators. Although it is not as popular as other social media sites, many teens are still flocking towards it. Here is all you need to know about Omegle. 

What exactly is Omegle? 
Omegle is an online chatting service which was created in 2009 by an 18-year-old American boy from Vermont named Leif K. Brooks. Earlier, it had a separate app but now it can only be accessed via web. Once a user logs onto Omegle and creates an account, the site randomly selects other users to have a one-on-one chat with. This can either be done via text or through a video call through the website. It has an option where the user can share his/her likes, hobbies and preferences. Using this information, users are paired with one another. However, it is not necessary to mention one’s interests.  

Why has Omegle started gaining popularity recently? 
Although it was created back in 2009, Omegle’s popularity started resurging a couple years ago. This is because it used the pandemic situation strategically to market itself as the ideal platform to meet new friends from all over the world while practising social distancing. It drew in users who were bored of staying at home, and who were looking for alternative methods of socialising. Many teens fell into this very category at the time. 

What concerns does Omegle give rise to? 
Omegle has been dubbed as the “predator’s playground.” In fact, the website itself warns users by saying, “Predators have been known to use Omegle, so please be careful.” What makes it even more dangerous is that users do not necessarily have to disclose their identity or age. Although it encourages 13- 18 year-old-teens to use it under parental guidance, it does not have any parental controls. All these aspects make it very convenient for malpractices to occur.