Imagine that you are sitting at your computer and stumble upon a site that gives you the ability to chat live with your friends, but your “friends” are actually strangers. Here’s how it works: the site matches you randomly with a complete stranger, with whom you can chat via web cam or instant message. You see and hear them as if they are right in front of you. Now imagine that you are a 14-year-old girl and that “friend” is a twenty-something- year- old couple engaged in inappropriate behavior. You click the button that says “next” and are randomly connected to a new stranger or friend and you see someone wearing a Halloween mask, maybe a little creepy but not too harmful. The next click takes you to a room and what you see is alarming and even shakes you up a bit: a man whose face is not within range of the computer, but is hanging from the ceiling with an over turned chair beneath his feet. What site would show such graphic, unsettling things? The site is called Chatroulette, or in netlingo, CR. The site, created by 17-year-old Russian teen Andrey Ternovskiy, randomly connects you via webcam to a stranger anywhere in the world. The idea was sparked by his boredom with always chatting with the same friends. At the top of each screen there is a next button that allows you to disconnect from your current partner and randomly connect with someone new. There’s a good chance of you getting “nexted” within the first few seconds of being connected if you’re not a cute girl willing to flash yourself or reveal something really interesting to the other party. When your partner no longer wants to talk to you and simply presses the next button you’ve been “nexted,” and randomly thrown back into cyberspace awaiting your next encounter. Chatroulette isn’t just for bored students looking for something interesting to do. Celebrities like Paris Hilton, The Jonas Brothers, even Justin Beiber have been spotted on camera using CR. For others, Chatroulette has become an outlet for comedy. The following YouTube link shows a live concert held just a few weeks ago in Charlotte, NC where the artist connects to Chatroulette and performs impromptu songs with the random strangers he connects with.
Chatroulette Map is a new program that utilizes information from the Chatroulette site and Google Maps. It pulls random video screen shots from users and plots a pinpoint on a world map based on the IP address. The pinpoint generally shows a screenshot of the Chatroulette user, a date and the city in which the IP address is recorded. New users don’t seem to be added in real time, but appear to be added in batches every few weeks. What are the chances of your child‘s photo being on the Chatroulette Map site? Chatroulette Map is only a few months old and it is not clear how often or by what method screenshots for the map are grabbed. Because the video chats on Chatroulette are in real time, it would seem that chatters would have to be using Chatroulette during a time when the Chatroulette Map administrators were grabbing screenshots for their map. Currently there are just over 3,000 Chatroulette Map pinpoints and since Chatroulette boasts a million users a day, this may indicate that not every chatter’s screenshot will be posted. Visit the Chatroulette Map site to see if you your child’s screenshot has been posted. Chatroulette Map states that it will remove a posted picture if you send a request through email. This website presents/provides an excellent opportunity to talk to your teen about the importance of staying safe and private. Chatroulette Map seriously compromises a user’s privacy. Teens need to understand that by participating in Chatroulette, their actions and image become public, not just to others playing the game. A screenshot may be taken without permission and posted publicly on the map, identifying their location. While there is no way for someone to directly contact another chatter using Chatroulette Map, there is no question that this is identifying information. Depending on the accuracy of the IP address, some map points can connect a user’s photo down to a particular neighborhood. Talk to kids about the site. Avoid being angry, frightened or panicked. Instead, explain your concerns and reinforce the dangers of connecting with strangers and giving out indentifying information. Teens have many opportunities to access these and other sites beyond their own home; however, engaging kids in conversations about appropriate behaviors online is the best way to help your child develop healthy online habits where ever they are. In addition, parents can try these tips to deter access and help kids stay safe.
Make house rules. Lay down clear rules about your expectations when it comes to using the CR website and the Internet in general. Be clear about consequences for breaking the rules. When rules are broken, make sure to follow through with the consequences you have established. Block access. You can block the Chatroulette site in your browser, using parental controls and even block the site in Windows. Parents can also disable the web cam on their computers if they are concerned about the computer users in the home and their ability to follow house rules. Directions on how to block sites can be found at www.ehow.com. However, keep in mind that talking to and educating kids is still necessary because they have access to computers outside of the home where Chatroulette may not be blocked. Share information with others. Share the information you’ve gathered about Chatroulette and other concerning sites with your community so other parents, educators and community leaders are informed. Start learning now. Chatroulette and Chatroulette Map are very new sites and are currently catching a lot of media coverage. Reading more about these sites will help parents understand how they relate to kids. Here are a few other facts, statistics and issues to get you started. The big question is: Just how dangerous is Chatroulette? It is important for parents and teachers to understand the risks and serious dangers attached to sites like this. Not only can it be a playground for those preying on naive teens, but it is also a breeding ground for cyberbullying. When using the internet it is very common for teens to act out of character or abnormally because they are “protected” by a screen and appear to be miles away. This only increases the likelihood of someone being a target of pornography or cyber bullying. Chatroulette only has three simple rules: you must be over the age of 16, no nudity and all users have the option to report those who may offend them. There is no monitoring system to ensure these rules are followed. Chatroulette seems to be the NEXTed big thing for teens and young adults, even some children. Just imagine that your child could be on the other side of the screen.