Omegle, the popular random chat site that has been entertaining teens and YouTubers for 14 years, will be shutting down. The founder, Leif K-Brooks, acknowledged the “lowlights” of the site in a letter to its users.
When Omegle was launched in 2009, founder Leif K-Brooks had envisioned it as a way to connect random strangers in the global village of the internet. However, the site also faced criticism for its darker side, leading to its eventual shutdown.
The decision to shut down came in the wake of a lawsuit filed in Oregon, accusing Omegle of matching an 11-year-old user with a sexual predator. This legal action prompted the site’s closure.
Despite its popularity among Gen Z and isolated teens during the Covid-19 pandemic, Omegle faced challenges regarding the safety of minors online. K-Brooks admitted the site had reached its “breaking point” and settled the Oregon civil claim before announcing its closure.
While the site’s popularity may have declined in recent years, with fewer teens engaging in the practice of chatting with strangers, Omegle still managed to attract over 50 million visitors last month, according to analytics firm SimilarWeb.
In a heartfelt message, K-Brooks thanked everyone who used Omegle for positive purposes and those who contributed to the site’s success. However, he expressed regret that he couldn’t continue fighting for the site’s existence.