Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey is warning parents that there is a new way for predators to meet kids online. 

Launched in November 2009 by a 17-year-old Russian teen,  ChatRoulette is based on the roulette wheel model. This new “web cam-based” social networking site can be far more dangerous and addictive than more popular sites like Facebook and MySpace.
 
What is ChatRoulette? If your teen has web cam and they visit the Web site, all they need do is say that they are 16-years-old (whether they are or not). Their Web cam is connected to a Web cam of a random stranger. Either person can decide to chat and watch the other, or hit the “next” button. The wheel spins again to reveal another stranger. As a parent, imagine your child sitting in the perceived safety of his/her bedroom while an infinite number of strangers are lined up in the hall to go into the room and meet with your child face-to-face. That’s ChatRoulette in a nutshell.

ChatRoulette parties are dangerous activities emerging from this new site. Teens get together at a party to spin the roulette wheel, then view and chat with strangers for entertainment. Peer pressure can make teens say and do things with strangers that they normally would not do when they are alone.

Parents need to be aware of the graphic nature of this new Internet obsession and take steps to ensure that their children are protected from the actions of strangers on ChatRoulette, as well as other Internet sites.

The District Attorney’s Child Sex Offender Internet Investigations (CSOII) Unit takes a proactive approach to online predators. The Unit is headed by DA
Investigator Mike Harris, who routinely takes Internet safety classes into schools. “Kids are our best source of intelligence,” says Investigator Harris. “We learned about this site from students at a presentation we did at Jefferson Academy. The kids know what’s going on online, and it’s our job to keep them safe.”

Investigator Harris says, “Web cams may be a great way to stay in touch with family and friends across the country, but they are dangerous for kids who do not always use good judgment. Our biggest concern is that you never know who is capturing your video at the other end. When any information – video, text or photo – is sent into cyberspace, it is gone forever.”
 
“We recommend that parents be cautious before providing your teen with a Web cam,” says Storey. “Most laptop computer come equipped with Web cams, but they can be disabled.”  

For more information about Internet safety see our Web site.