After 14 years, Omegle is officially no more. This well-loved and often controversial site introduced strangers via video chat in hopes of creating unexpected friendships. Teenagers would hop on the site to help fulfill moments of boredom, whilst creepy old men would cyber-flash their screen.
The creator of Omegle, Leif Brooks, wanted Omegle to be a place of human connection. In his official closure statement of the website, on Nov. 2, he said “Omegle was meant to be a way of strolling down a street in that village, striking up conversations with the people you ran into along the way.” Their slogan, “Talk with Strangers!” exemplifies this goal. The chats would be randomized with anyone on the internet and could be audience specific based on the user’s interests.
Omegle quickly grew into a staple of internet culture and maintained a sense of the unexpected. There was a form of social spontaneity that was truly unique to Omegle and didn’t exist in many other places. Every once in a while, you would have the chance to talk to celebrities who happened to be using it at the same time as you. You could find people with similar interests. Many people have even found their doppelgangers via Omegle.
Omegle started making a comeback during the COVID-19 quarantine. With few opportunities to meet new people during lockdown, Omegle experienced a second wave of interest.
However, even Brooks quickly realized that despite all of its success, the website wasn’t necessarily safe, especially for its younger audience. Brooks said,“Unfortunately, there are also lowlights. Virtually every tool can be used for good or for evil.” Those who have used the website are aware of the high probability of seeing gentalia and other potentially creepy users. This misuse of Omegle has led to the website having more than 50 legal cases against pedophiles.
Ultimately, the stress and expenses that came from these legal cases led to the website’s demise. Brooks commented, “Operating Omegle is no longer sustainable, financially nor psychologically” in regards to its users, as well as the company itself.
There have been two common reactions to this news. Some are celebrating the shutdown of this predatory playground, while others are mourning the loss of a part of their childhoods.
When hearing about the closure of Omegle, I asked my friends, since we frequented the website a fair amount as children. Here are some of the comments I’ve received concerning the situation.
“I’m surprised Omegle lasted as long as it did,” said junior Nora.
“I’m glad I had it during my childhood, but I’m glad it’s gone. I cannot imagine my own children using that site,” said junior Erin.
“That intersection between kids and the Internet is very delicate. The nature of the world and evil human behavior outweighed the foundation of Omegle, and its intended impact,” said freshmen Alvin.
“As a kid, it definitely kept me entertained and cured my boredom, but in today’s world, there are better alternatives to do this than Omegle,” said sophomore Megan.
“Online spaces like Omegle come and go, and that’s honestly for the best,” said junior Tess.
“That aspect of anonymity on Omegle made it thrilling for children, but made it possible for predators to abuse the website,” said junior Caroline.
“The concept was truly unique, but you cannot control the types of people that will use it. Not only do predators use it, but people with hateful things to say as well,” said senior Chloe.
“The vision Brooks had for the website was beautiful and it’s upsetting to see how that was abused by many. But people shouldn’t be quick to celebrate the death of Omegle. Most likely, there will be another website that will replace it soon, and have the same issues,” said junior Lily.
While navigating Omegle was a pivotal point in our childhoods, its shutdown is for the best. Omegle gave its users a fair share of hilarious laughs, cringe moments and terrifying dreams, but now it’s time to put it to bed.