If you haven’t experienced Chatroulette yet, you’ve got some risk-taking to do. Chatroulette’s home page sounds innocent enough. It says, “Chatroulette is a brand new service for one-on-one text-, webcam- and microphone-based chat with people around the world.”
The Internet gives Chatroulette users a false sense of entitlement and security. While some people feel like they can do or say anything on the site because they feel anonymous behind their screens, the reality is that this form of social networking gives people a sense of separation more than it unites them. Though interesting in its concept and execution, this site’s contribution to society ends there.
However, half of the time the Web site connects users to things that I don’t feel like I’m old enough to be looking at. Sure, the majority of its users are curious teens and adults looking for cheap entertainment, but the rest of the users logged into the site are NC-17 spam bots and sexually frustrated dudes. It gets funny, gross, hilarious and nauseating really quickly.
Let me begin by saying that Chatroulette is something that is to be done with a group of friends. Much like drinking, doing drugs and playing DDR, people who partake in this activity alone have a problem. Besides, “the more the merrier” really applies to having these odd conversations over the Internet. You’re going to run into a lot of weirdness on there, and you’re going to want someone to witness these interactions and laugh with you.
The funniest part about the Web site is that it is entirely based on a moment of judgement when people decide to continue a conversation based on what they see. When you’re connected with someone, you see their image, and if you’re not interested in talking, you simply hit the “Next” button based upon the fact that you don’t like how the person looks. Once you’ve hit “Next,” you’re connected with someone else. You can hit the “Next” button at any time and so can the other party.
It’s always funny “Next-ing” people but not as great when you get the “Next” yourself. In order to make the best out of your Chatroulette experience, you should always try to go on with an interesting mix of people. It’s fun to put girls on the screen to talk with guys who are by themselves and then surprise the lone guy by revealing that there have been guys on your side of the connection the whole time.
In order for you, reader, to understand why I’m such an advocate of Internet shenanigans, I have to tell you about my experiences on the site. My friends and I once got a room full of 15-year-old girls who had all painted their faces in the style of Dia de los Muertos. Another time we got a person wearing an Incredible Hulk mask who was just kind of dancing around trying to talk through their giant mask.
The “Next” feature is also great because you’re able to see the faces of the people on both sides of the connection as they are making the split-second decisions of whether or not they’d like to talk to a certain group or individual. Sometimes you see the person or group you’re connected with and just start laughing. And they can see you laughing. Or when people look at the screen and cringe, the person or group they’re cringing at can see the reaction. It’s an ego-boost and a confidence-killer every time.
I’m not the only one who’s taking pleasure in this strange Internet activity. Oliver Noble of asylum.com said, “It also makes the Craigslist “˜Casual Encounters’ section look like the playpen at Chuck E. Cheese.” Again, this game of roulette is not for the tame of heart.
Chatroulette is yet another shining example of how the Internet turns us all into social network voyeurs. Or maybe we’re social network sadists devoid of human decency because we think the Internet protects us. Either way, everyone who logs into the Web site is volunteering to partake in these odd interactions with strangers where they feel free to do anything they please because of the perceived distance that the Internet provides us.
I encourage Chatroulette as a social experiment, but be wary: Becoming a Chatroulette addict may very well lead you down the path to Jessicaslaw.com.
If you have a funny tagline, e-mail Jagerman at njagerman@ucla.edu.
Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.