Popular online chat website Omegle has officially shut down after 14 years. The news shocked many users, as it has been a platform for people around the world to connect, entertain themselves, vent out, ask for advice, and find love. So, no more exchange of “ASL” (age, sex, location) and “What brings you here?” questions.
For those who are not familiar, Omegle lets users connect with random strangers based on their shared interests. They can interact through chat and video anonymously.
Its founder, Leif K-Brooks, made the announcement on Thursday, November 9, in a lengthy post on the website. He began his letter by citing quotes from American authors C.S. Lewis and Douglas Adams about tyranny and anger.
He went on to talk about how he discovered the Internet and launched Omegle, “I launched Omegle when I was 18 years old, and still living with my parents. It was meant to build on the things I loved about the Internet, while introducing a form of social spontaneity that I felt didn’t exist elsewhere.”
Omegle became widely popular in the Philippines, and several influencers also used the website to surprise netizens and interact with their fans. In 2019, Google revealed it was the “top trending search” among Filipino netizens.
K-Brooks continued, “Over the years, people have used Omegle to explore foreign cultures; to get advice about their lives from impartial third parties; and to help alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. I’ve even heard stories of soulmates meeting on Omegle, and getting married. Those are only some of the highlights.”
Despite the good connections and interactions it provided to the users, he noted that “there are also lowlights,” and “virtually every tool can be used for good or for evil.”
“There can be no honest accounting of Omegle without acknowledging that some people misused it, including to commit unspeakably heinous crimes,” he added.
Photo: Freepik
The Omegle founder also emphasized that he implemented “reasonable measures,” such as AI moderators and working with law enforcement agencies, to fight crimes and other forms of misuse, but still failed to do so.
“All that said, the fight against crime isn’t one that can ever truly be won. It’s a never-ending battle that must be fought and re-fought every day; and even if you do the very best job it is possible for you to do, you may make a sizable dent, but you won’t ‘win’ in any absolute sense of that word.”
He mentioned that a “constant barrage of attacks on communication services” was among the factors he decided to shut down Omegle, “I have always welcomed constructive feedback; and indeed, Omegle implemented a number of improvements based on such feedback over the years. However, the recent attacks have felt anything but constructive.”
According to him, fighting the chat website’s misuse and the same “attacks” over the years “are simply too much,” leading him to the realization that “operating Omegle is no longer sustainable, financially nor psychologically.”
K-Brooks concluded his post by expressing his gratitude for responsible users, “From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who used Omegle for positive purposes, and to everyone who contributed to the site’s success in any way. I’m so sorry I couldn’t keep fighting for you.”
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You can read the entire letter at omegle.com.
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