Free Chat Rooms
From dating
There are lots of free chat rooms on the internet. Many people enjoy using them. Unfortunately, some of them can open up your computer to unwanted popup ads and spyware, and put you at risk of being swindled.
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What Goes On in Free Chat Rooms
Most of the free chat rooms you'll find on the Internet aren't monitored. That means that anyone can log in, and they can say whatever they want. By far the most popular use of free chat rooms is to talk about sex. Many adults use them to have "cybersex," in which participants exchange detailed descriptions of sexual activity.
The Quality of the Conversation
To people who aren't regular chat room users, the conversation won't make a lot of sense. People "talk" over each other, so that successive postings are hard to follow. Users also pop in and out of the conversation without warning.
One way to decide if a chat room is right for you is to "lurk" for a while. "Lurking" means logging in and reading along but not actually participating in the conversation. It's a good way to learn the style of the room, what people talk about, and what is and isn't appropriate. When you're ready, you can join in and say hello.
Some Big Chat Sites
Chat-avenue.com and Chatfamily.com pop up high on the list if you search the internet for "Free Chat Rooms." These sites look different, but they lead to the same actual chats. Chatfamily claims that its adult chat rooms are monitored and implies that they're non-sexual, but in fact the conversation is almost wholly about sex. You'll find people offering nude videos, people asking for cybersex, and descriptions of sexual prowess.
Adult Friend Finder
A site called AdultFriendFinder.com has several adult-themed chat rooms. This is a long-established site with hundreds of thousands of members. Chat rooms are free, but you do have to register with the site to join in. You'll find the same set of chat rooms at Passion.com.
Yahoo Chat
If you're trying to get away from the sex-charged atmosphere, Yahoo.com's extensive list of rooms seems promising. They have chats for people interested in computers, finance, culture and community, and so on. However, most users still seem to be people offering to exchange nude photos and webcam shots. Even in "Genealogy" and "Gardening," webcams are ubiquitous.
Protect Yourself
Free chat rooms can be fun, but not everyone is just there to have a good time. The Internet is filled with stories of swindlers, cheaters, and other with bad intentions.
People and Pretense
- The swindler. The swindler's scam might begin with a request to chat in private. Before long, the scammer mentions a financial opportunity and tries to convince the innocent chat room user that he or she can make a quick buck. But once they've gotten money-or obtained enough information to clean out a bank account-the fake friendship is over and the swindler disappears.
- The cheater. The cheater pretends to be single and open to a romantic relationship. But in reality, he or she is married and may even have a family. People have been caught up in online relationships with cheaters for months or even years before finding out the truth.
- The liar. Some people like chat rooms because they can pretend to be anything they want. The beautiful woman you're chatting with might really be an older man. Children who use free chat rooms are especially at risk, because adults pretending to be teens can take advantage of them.
Computer Intrusions
Before logging in to any of the free chat rooms, make sure you have good anti-virus and anti-spyware software and that the pop-up blocker in your web browser is on. Otherwise, you may find dozens of pop-up ads crowding your screen, not to mention unwanted programs downloaded to your computer. You should also have a firewall, which prevents outside users from gaining access to your computer.
Registration Warnings
If the site requires registration, read their privacy policy carefully. Make sure that they won't sell your information to other companies, and don't agree to receive e-mail advertising. You could find your mailbox filling up with spam. You can help protect yourself by setting up an email address just for your chat room use and creating a different screen name and password than you use for other accounts.
Real-World Safety
Be very careful about giving personal information to anyone you meet in a chat room. Meeting in person is generally considered unwise. You can learn more about chat room safety at WiredSafety.org.
This page has been accessed 19,270 times. This page was last modified 12:05, 1 May 2007.
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