Chatroulette.com is the latest Web site for random communication with anyone from everywhere you don’t know.
According to the Web site, “Chatroulette is a brand-new service for one-on-one text-, webcam- and microphone-based chat with people around the world.”
The Web site says its intended purpose is to find new friends or to have interesting conversations at any time. Although the Web site promotes the idea of “interesting conversations,” by no means are the things you witness on Chatroulette limited to conversations.
The most exciting (and disturbing) part of using the Web site is that you never know what webcam you’re going to stumble upon next. People feel free to take total advantage of the leniency the Web site provides and things can definitely get graphic, but always exciting.
On the other hand, if you knew exactly what you were getting yourself into, you probably wouldn’t be as curious to check it out.
Before starting Chatroulette, let me forewarn you:  prepare for some interesting and disgusting sexual images, regardless of your gender. The Web site gives you some idea of how many creepy dudes there are out there, let’s just say, enjoying themselves.
There is good news though: when you do get creeped out, disturbed, or uninterested there is a rescue button. Simply click “next” and hop to another cam. Other people can next you too, so put your feelings aside and don’t take it personally.
The Web site also has an “allow or deny” option that lets users pick if they want to be seen, heard, both or neither. So you can see what you’re dealing with if you want, before they see you. Note though, that other chatters don’t like seeing the black screens so it’s harder to connect when all people can see is black.
There is a messaging system on the right of the Web site where you can chat with the person if you (or they) do not have your volume or camera on.
If you want to get “nexted” as little as possible I suggest being a girl or doing Chatroulette with a girl next to you. This stems from two different theories:
1) Girls are less creepy than guys so most people aren’t as sketched out when they see a girl on the cam at first.
2) A lot of people on the site are actually creepy dudes looking for girls so if you’re an attractive girl, people will talk to you.
Keep in mind when participating that there is every type of person on these cams. Some people like to harass others, others like playing practical jokes, some put up statistics, some wear masks, some wear nothing; trust me, there’s literally everything.
The worst that can come from Chatroulette is some undesirable images and maybe a few nightmares.
I’ll leave you with some advice: Don’t judge a “Chatrouletter” by its cover, unless that Chatrouletter happens to be coverless and creeping.