I tried Chatroulette.com today. I really do not have a very clear-cut idea of how I felt but I will try to explain. First of all, to the unaware, let me tell what Chatroulette is all about. Chatroulette is a website that allows you to have a video chat with a complete stranger. When I say complete stranger, I mean a complete STRANGER. There is no way you will be able to decide whom you can video talk with. The person in front of you can be of any sex, nationality, color, age etc. and you will have absolutely no control on who would be viewing you and whom you would end up viewing. All that you will have will be a ‘NEXT’ button that you can press if you don’t like the person on the screen. Then, you will be connected to some other random stranger. If you don’t like him you can press ‘next’ again and go on doing it till you find the ‘right’ person. Feels strange? Trust me, the experience is even more bizarre.
Come to think of it, we all meet strangers in every walk of our lives. Whenever we may go – office, market, school we find strangers everywhere. Even when we enter into a new chat room, we are surrounded by people we don’t know. So what is so different about Chatroulette?
The difference is that when we confront strangers in our normal lives, most of the time we have a reason to talk to them. We buy fruits, make small talk to cut time, discuss train schedules, ask for directions and do many other things that have a purpose behind them. Moreover, in most of these circumstances we have a choice to select the person we think will be good to us.
Chatroulette is different. Here none of these comfort-zones of purpose or reason are present. It is not like a half empty bus in which you can decide where to sit. It is like a packed bus in which only the seat next to you is empty. The stranger who decides to come and sit there can be a drug addict reeking of alcohol and nicotine, planning to molest you whenever he gets a chance or he can also be a good looking hunk who works in a software company, earns fifty grand a year and feels that you are the most beautiful woman in the world. This heady cocktail of mystery, excitement and voodoo pleasure is what makes Chatroulette so irresistible to millions across the world. Every time you click NEXT your heart skips a beat as you don’t know whom to expect.
Signing into Chatroulette means that you have allowed both angels and demons to stamp into your private space, look at your face, see your body, talk to you, abuse you or do what ever they can until you press NEXT. And trust me, you will see things. Suddenly you will be able to see perverts across the world asking you to rip off your clothes for there sadistic pleasure, people indulging in live sexual acts, innuendoes directed towards your nationality, body, skin color and what not. Your body is the only commodity that you have in Chatroulette. If the person on the other side does not finds it attractive, he will press Next and might also abuse you before doing so. Therefore, for many people it will be an emotionally scarring experience and something that they will regret trying.
For the rest who feel they know how to handle their weaknesses and insecurities and are not scared to confront the most animalistic instincts of human psyche, Chatroulette is worth a try. You will see how in the absence of any fear of law and accountability, supposedly well-educated people loose their humanity in the madness and become savages. You will also find people you may absolutely adore or even fall in love with. You may talk to mothers who would talk lovingly about their children, people who might exchange recipes with you, singers who would want you to listen to their new compositions and even SRK who might log in as he is bored of his day’s schedule. You just don’t know!
All I can say is, if mystery and adventure is your holy grail, take a dip into Chatroulette.
…what i say is dat you would find more of perverts, people seeking sexual pleasure or those who abuse on the basis of nationality/color or gender…The concept and intention is surely innovative, but as we know that technology is a double-sided sword…i feel that this would soon convert in a kind of sexual chat-room rather than a medium to creatively interact with strangers.
but All i can say is…njoy the experience if you get a good partner…else press “NEXT”
I agree to what you are saying. After all if a person has to talk about art, science or politics there are thousands of chat-rooms available on the net that he can use. Why does he wants to have a look at the face of the person on the other side and then decide to chat? Why would he opt for randomness over the the convenience of selecting a person out of a group to chat with him? If chatroulette continues to go the same way, it will end up becoming what it was destined to- a sexual chat-room. But the question is- Who knows it may have been designed to be one? Anyways, some of the points i am worried about are:
1. Children are using this website increasingly.
2. There is no profile mapping. It means you cannot control or permanently block the defaulters. (Maybe you don’t want to)
I hope the makers take a stand as to what is their true intention and then act accordingly. There is no point in telling the world that ‘Chatroulette does not tolerate broadcasting obscene, offending, pornographic material’ and then doing nothing about it.
Good observations Deepansh… This seems quite interesting website but not for all… May try out some day… when I am really bored… abhi to kuch na kuch mil hi jata hai timepass karne ko… !!!
Bye and Take Care !!!
Scary stuff! Sadly, people misuse it more than use it. The true test of character is when people can be civil, even when they are not expected to. Things would be better in this world if it were so. What else would explain an ‘alter ego’ on the internet!
So, how did your experience go? You said you tried it; but there’s no more juicy details…hehehe…
@ JAM Do try out. N kuch na kuch ya koi na koi
@Vini You are right about the true test of character. My experience is good and bad. I met a lot of guys who were as pissed of to see me as i was to see them.
Met a singer also, his name was Alex and he played ‘summer of 69′ for me. A few gals were also there who pressed ‘next’ even before i uttered a word. 
Overall it was a mix of everything. Worth a try for sure.