It started with 17-year-old Andrey Ternovskiy from Moscow, Russia. He wanted to create a Web site that would connect people from all over the world. He succeeded.
Enter Chatroulette.
The latest form of social networking via the Internet is going viral because of the easy access and unique experience to be had.
People can go to Chatroulette.com and click "New game" to begin a randomized search of others currently accessing the site. After being connected, chatting can be as long or as short as desired, and either party can click "Next" to be connected to a new chatting partner whenever they choose.
It's been called the human shuffle, a term that embodies the way the site connects people from all over the world. Launched in November, Chatroulette's traffic account cited 35,000-plus people visiting the site at any given time.
Rohan Sohi, freshman business administration major, and T.J. Henning, freshman broadcasting major, have used Chatroulette in a group setting and have talked to people from Serbia, Brazil, numerous European countries and several states within the United States, but they have their reservations about the site.
"The concept of Chatroulette is a good idea, being about to talk to people around the world, but personally I don't like it," Sohi said. "I feel uncomfortable having my face up there. I'll laugh along with other people, but I'll just be out of the screen."
However, on their second visit the to Web site, Sohi and Henning made sure they were on screen when they were connected with John Mayer.
They were with a few other people whey they noticed their chatting partner looked a lot like the pop singer/songwriter, and they said they all "freaked out." Asking him to sing "Your Body is a Wonderland," Mayer told them he was in New York and said, "Hey, I like you kids" before clicking next.
The guys took a picture of their screen for proof that they chatted with Mayer, if only for a few seconds.
While some chatting conversations are humorous, too many are deemed inappropriate. Chatroulette has yet to block those that misuse the site, and few safeguards are currently set up to monitor the age of individuals using the site.
"There is more stuff on there that is inappropriate than worthy of conversation," said Tyson Johnson, a junior political science major. "But they all lead to good stories," chimed in Alex Bullington, a junior biology major.
Johnson and Bullington have used the Web site as a form of entertainment in their fraternity house, Pi Kappa Phi. From talking to the Jonas brothers before being "nexted," or meeting some girls from Britain, their stories have spread throughout their fraternity.
One of the more scarring stories occurred when Johnson and Bullington stumbled across what appeared to be a woman from Turkey. However, it was soon revealed that the woman was a man. Needless to say they clicked "Next" quickly.
Despite the variety of experiences, most chatting sessions do not last longer than a few seconds, losing the genuine sense of connection that Ternovskiy desired.
"You forget them as soon as you click ‘Next.' They're in your life, they're out of your life. They're on your mind, they're out of your mind," Sohi said.
Whether the connections are used to swap silly faces, learn British slang words, or compare life in Nebraska and California, connections are being made.
With all of the hype about the site, Henning thinks people will eventually lose interest, noting the numerous technical glitches on the site.
"Eventually it will blow over, but it'll be a while unless they upgrade it somehow," Henning said. "Sometimes the connection is really bad."
Bad connection or not, more than 35,000 people are continuing to access Chatroulette to create stories with people from all over the world.
ashaanchan@dailynebraskan.com
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