Chatroulette
Chatroulette-No-Signup
Chatroulette Video Chat
Cahtrtoulette Profile
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Our Review

DatingsScout.hk Author Chris Pleines
From: Chris Pleines
 • Reading Time: 3 minute(s)

Chatroulette was one of the first roulette-matching chat rooms that rapidly rose to fame and just as quickly burned out in the early 2010s. It offered text, video, and audio chat for all types of users. Coded and operated in the bedroom of then 17-year-old Andrey Ternovskiy, Chatroulette was an instant hit. Even without advertising anywhere, Chatroulette became famous worldwide through word-of-mouth. Just four months after it was launched, it boasted about 1.5 million daily active users. Chatroulette became viral because of the gimmicks people would employ and the actual celebrities who would match with unsuspecting fans.

Mini-celebrities have been borne out of Chatroulette, and it even became an advertising platform for products and movies. But as social networking sites with elaborate profile details and decidedly non-anonymous connections grew, chat rooms like Chatroulette were left on the backburner. Ever wondered what happened to it now?

New members at Chatroulette in July 2024 in comparison

Here you can see how membership figures at Chatroulette are developing compared to others

Chatroulette Members

Members
660,000 from Hong Kong
Members activity
250 active weekly
Gender Proportion
30 %
70 %
  • Chatroulette gained about 1.5 million daily active users four months after it was launched
  • Celebrities would go on the site and get paired with unsuspecting users
  • Most memorable Chatroulette mini-celebrity: Merton (the Piano Improv Guy)
  • Members are mostly male, who are on the site to display their private parts to unsuspecting users

Four months after its inception in November 2009, Chatroulette quickly gained over a million and a half unique visitors daily. Word-of-mouth spread and in no time, even celebrities were flocking to the site to try it out. Users have shared screenshots of their Chatroulette experiences with these celebrities; such as Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, and many more. Others also gained fame by employing their own gimmicks; such as playing improv piano for their partners or wearing cosplay to entertain the stranger they're paired with.

Females
Males

Chatroulette Age Range and Age Distribution

  • 18-24
  • 25-34
  • 35-44
  • 45-54
  • 55+

How to Sign Up for Chatroulette

Chatroulette-No-Signup
  • Registration isn't needed; users can just go to the page and connect to a stranger

Registration isn't needed to use Chatroulette. Unlike other sites, not even your gender or username is needed. All you need to do is show up. However, there is a facial recognition step that requires you to smile at your camera before you get can get connected to a stranger. But this is only a requirement at the beginning of your chat. Therefore, it has not stopped the exhibitionists who predominate the site - all they'd have to do is smile to activate the chat, then immediately pan the camera to their exposed phallus.

Making Contact on Chatroulette

Chatroulette Video Chat
  • Only the webcam feature is available in the center of the page
  • Text chatting is not available anymore
  • Facial recognition is required to initiate a chat
  • Choose between filtered and unfiltered video chats
  • Use video chatting for free

Once you enter the site, you only have one button to click to proceed. You should allow the site to access your camera and microphone to continue. If you block the access, you will just see a black screen all over. If you grant the access, your camera view will open and you have to show your face. Once your face has been verified, you'll be given the choice between Filtered and Unfiltered Chat.

Filtered Chat

This kind of chat is moderated. Sexual behaviours are not allowed. Those who don't act appropriately will be banned from the video chat. However, this one can easily be played as long as you use another computer, or use an incognito browser. VPN works well too. If you prefer a more liberated video call with other members, you may opt to choose the next option.

Unfiltered Chat

Here, you will be available to express your self and sexuality more. Contents that are shown here are NSFW- Not Safe For Work. Showing off genitals, sexual acts, and other explicit behaviours are allowed here. Of course, this is for adults only, however, the verification process is not really strict at all.

Chatroulette Profile Quality

Cahtrtoulette Profile
  • Website design is very bare - almost no information can be found
  • Studios used Chatroulette to promote their movies (i.e. The Last Exorcism)
  • Various products have also implemented their ad campaigns on Chatroulette

    Due to this fame, studios and companies used Chatroulette as a platform to promote their movies and products. The most notable one was the promotion of the movie The Last Exorcism in 2010. Users would get connected to a beautiful brunette who would act coy and begin to unbutton her shirt. When she looks up her eyes roll to the back of her head and cracks form around her eyes. Her stream then becomes choppy as she attacks the screen. Her side of the video blacks out, and "THELASTEXORCISM.COM" is displayed on the screen. This promotion became viral when compilations of users' terrified reactions surfaced on YouTube.

    Chatroulette Costs and Prices

    Is Chatroulette expensive or cheap?

    In comparison to other providers Chatroulette is free of charge.

    Special Features

    Chatroulette is a very simple and straightforward site. Here are the features that make-up the site:

    Video Chat

    Since text chat was already removed from the services offered by the site, this feature is now the only way to communicate with other members. Turn on your camera and microphone and wait for another member pop up on your screen and start chatting.

    Face Recognition

    The site claims that it verifies the face of the user first before he/she gets a match. This is to prevent users from faking their identities or hiding their real faces from the camera. However, during the testing, a photo was just placed in front of the webcam, then the video chat started right away.

    Our rating

    Signing Up: 1.0 / 5
    Making Contact: 3.0 / 5
    Profile Quality: 2.0 / 5

    Editor's Conclusion

    DatingsScout.hk Author Chris Pleines
    Chris Pleines
    Founder of Datingscout and Author of the book "Online Dating for Dummies"
    Even though its popularity has waned, the demographics remain the same: Chatroulette is still a landmine of naked and masturbating men. For some unfathomable reason, text chatting has been disabled. This leaves users with one less option compared to Chatroulette's competitors like [Omegle. Without text, members are forced to carry on a conversation verbally. Unfortunately, most of the users you'll get connected to are only interested in showing you their private parts. It lags sorely behind its competition by not having Chatroulette android and iOS supported apps. Aside from the Chatroulette random chatting feature, it does not offer anything new or innovative to rise from the ranks. In addition to this, no form of vetting is done on individuals, save for a faulty facial recognition system. Even with that one measly measure put in place, minors can still use the site. Chatroulette upgraded by adding a "Report" button for inappropriate users, but besides connecting you to the next member, it is unclear what else this button does. Does it permanently ban that user from Chatroulette? We can't say for sure, since the site doesn't have a FAQ page. In fact, Chatroulette does not have any other pages apart from the main interface. If you want a more secure experience in chatting with users from all over the globe, try out the winners in our Casual Dating category.

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