Omegle, video chat app, shut down after paedophilia controversy — don’t ‘talk to strangers’

Omegle, the video chat app that randomly connected users hoping to foster unexpected friendships, has closed down after 14 years, with the Founder Leif K-Brooks attributing the shutdown to attacks by critics who pointed out paedophilic behaviour of a malicious subset of users.

The platform faced controversy in recent years due to its association with legal cases involving paedophiles targeting minors.

In a recent settlement, Omegle resolved a civil claim for damages, where an unnamed plaintiff alleged that an adult man sexually abused an 11-year-old randomly paired with them on the platform.

K-Brooks defended Omegle’s original intention of creating a space for social spontaneity on the internet but acknowledged that some individuals misused it for heinous crimes.

The stress and expense of operating Omegle and the challenges of fighting its misuse were cited as reasons for the closure.

K-Brooks compared attempts to shut down the site to closing Central Park due to crime, emphasising the misuse was not representative of the platform’s entirety.

Omegle, similar to Chatroulette, allowed users to connect in one-on-one video calls or text chats with random pairings from around the world.

While some former users shared positive memories, others mentioned experiences of virtual harassment and disturbing content on the platform.

K-Brooks highlighted the dual nature of communication tools, acknowledging their potential for good and evil.