As social networking and social media tools expands, so do the platforms and options available for people, especially our kids to communicate. This brings me to Chattoulette, which is the brain child of a 17 year old Russian teenager. It allows you to link up with total strangers via video. Many consider Chatroulette as the hottest face-to-face or one on one video chat application on the internet that is a webcam-linking social network. It’s like Facebook, but you link up via video feed. Have you ever heard of it?
You log on with a webcam and then basically spin the wheel. You end up talking to total strangers from all over the world and it is important to know that everything that you say or do can be recorded by whomever you are chatting with.
I was first made aware of this making a cup of coffee and happened to hear a story about it on the CBS morning news. They had sent a young female reporter online and she concluded that it was safer walking the street of New York late at night, than it was going on a site like this. When I Goggled it I was amazed at all of the articles and information that was out there and not much a parent of a young teenager (girls or boy) would be excited to read.
The reality is that this is an impulse site for teens who will log on to find people to talk to, others log on to be outrageous, others search out friendship to battle boredom, but there is also those log on to search out opportunities for exploitation.
I share this with you to make you aware and suggest you do your own research and talk to your kids about these types of sites. Google “chatroulette” or you can read a good article by Nick Bilton in the New Your Times “The Surreal World of Chatroulette“.
The bottom line is to be socially aware as parents and take the steps necessary to educate and protect your children. Giving out names, addresses, phone numbers, email address are a real no-no’s. Do not assume that they know this! Tell them over and over.
Exploiters will dare you to pose of take off clothes and then will record video of take pictures. Check out this blog post on BuzzFeed “The 24 Best Chat Roulette Screenshots“. These are pictures that people take and then send in to post. This site is full of stupid pictures, but kids need to be aware of the danger that lurks amongst the fun they see.
I heard one expert on TV say that kids under 16 or 17 should not have a computer (especially with a webcam in their room). He may be right, but I think that cow is way out of the barn in most households. My advise is to be socially aware as parents when it comes to online networking and especially chat rooms. Make sure that you continually talk to your kids about your house rules regarding the internet and the potential dangers that they need to take seriously.
As always I encourage your input, ideas and feedback
