Chatroulette. The new Wild West.

Cruising around online, I recently came across a website called Chatroulotte.

 

Created only last December by a 17 year old student in Moscow, Chatroulette pairs random strangers for webcam-based conversations. Visitors to the website randomly begin an online chat using video (with audio and text) with another visitor. At any time, either user may leave the current chat by initiating another random "spin."

 

And as with most new, unregulated and free internet technology, a lack of censorship and structure brings the worst "parts" of people to the fold, and my Macintosh screen.

 

However, once I was over the initial shock, many other aspects of the site really surprised and intrigued me - it was such an effective, exciting and seemingly simple idea.

Why had this not been done before? Webcams are old news, built into most computers and in common use through applications like Skype.

I believe the potential and implications for this basic software is incredible; Chatroulette might just be the start of something big.

 

For example, if a simple search refinement tool was added, allowing users to meet like-minded people with similar interests or problems, then it could be used by everyone, for almost anything. From dating to business discussions, it could mean a new age in online socializing, actual face-to-face encounters with anyone anywhere, from the comfort and safety of your home or office.

 

(Advertising could be done similarly to free music sites, such as Spotify, where every third or forth sound byte, or video chat, is a short commercial.)

 

And that's just what needs to be done, already I've read that celebrities have been found on Chatrouelette and look what this musical entrepreneur has done to get 800,000 views.