Omegle, a popular social media network that connected strangers through video chat, has been shut down after 14 years of operation. The Chief Executive Officer, Leif K-Brooks, announced the closure, stating that the “battle” to keep the service afloat had been lost.
Launched in 2009, Omegle gained popularity for allowing users to meet new people from around the world through video chats. The announcement featured an image of a gravestone with “Omegle” printed on it. K-Brooks highlighted the positive connections forged on the platform over the years but acknowledged that some users had misused the service to commit “unspeakably heinous crimes.”
The statement explained, “Unfortunately, there are also lowlights. Virtually every tool can be used for good or for evil, and that is especially true of communication tools, due to their innate flexibility. The telephone can be used to wish your grandmother ‘happy birthday’, but it can also be used to call in a bomb threat.”
K-Brooks mentioned that Omegle had worked with law enforcement agencies and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to help put wrongdoers behind bars. Despite these efforts, he admitted that operating the service was no longer financially or psychologically sustainable.
The closure comes amid increased scrutiny and criticism, with some users claiming that Omegle became a haven for sexual predators. In July 2022, the company faced legal action from a user who alleged that she was paired with a pedophile on the platform when she was 11 years old, leading to three years of sexual exploitation and threats. The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, stating that Omegle could not use Section 230 of the United States’ Communications Decency Act as a defense.
Omegle had experienced a surge in users during the COVID-19 pandemic and remained popular, with some video chats going viral on other social media platforms. However, the closure marks the end of an era for the platform that connected strangers around the world.