NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & SportsExperts Call New Chat Web Site ‘Predators Paradise'

Experts Call New Chat Web Site ‘Predators Paradise'

By Chris Cannon 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Internet experts have called the Chat Roulette web site a "predator's paradise." The site randomly connects chatters to web cams from around the world. 

What separates Chat Roulette from most other web cam chat rooms is the site does not require any registration or age verification. 

The home page of the web site does make it clear you need to be 16 years old to participate, and obscene material is not permitted. 

With the click of a mouse a person's web cam is broadcast around the world. You are then randomly connected with another camera. 

If you find there is a connection, you can continue the web chat or you can move onto the next camera. The person on the other end also has the option of disconnecting your camera. 

At any given time as many as 30,000 people worldwide are chatting on Chat Roulette. The randomness of the web site has raised concerns with law enforcement officers. 

"Chat rooms, in general, are a dangerous place for kids to be especially unmonitored kids," said Charlie Warner from the Franklin Police Department. 

Warner has monitored illegal activity in chat rooms for years. He said parents need to keep the children's computers in an open area of the house. 

"You wouldn't allow a stranger in their bedroom, behind closed doors. When you allow them on the internet, chatting behind closed doors, you're letting thousands of them [strangers] in," said Warner. 

Chat Roulette has been on-line since last November and was developed by a 17 year old in Russia. 

E-mail: ccannon@newschannel5.com