By Beau Cline
After 14 years of connecting strangers from all over the world, the infamous random video chatting website Omegle has been forced to shut down. The website was essentially a video chat where you could talk or text with a random person from somewhere across the world. An emphasis on anonymity was intended, but things get messed up when they are on the internet.
Founder Leif K-Brooks says the intended purpose of Omegle was to encourage more open and candid conversations. K-Brooks said Omegle had been used for positive experiences such as exploring foreign cultures, getting advice from impartial third parties, and soothing the feeling of loneliness many of us struggle with. He did recognize the potential bad intentions behind it, but said, “Virtually every tool can be used for good or for evil, and that is especially true of communication tools, due to their innate flexibility,” wrote K-Brooks.
The real problem arises within its registration requirements. Omegle doesn’t require any registration to access its website, allowing kids to intermingle with adults. This obviously raises concerns for sexual predators who have taken advantage of this platform. According to BBC Omegle’s, been cited in more than 50 recent cases against pedofiles.
The website finally called it quits last week after settling a lawsuit that allegedly connected an 11-year-old user with a pedophile. The stress of running the website overwhelmed K-Brooks as he said “Operating Omegle is no longer sustainable, neither financially nor psychologically. Frankly, I don’t want to have a heart attack in my 30s.”
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