The Chat With Strangers Phenomenon

Chatting with strangers online - sounds like a sketchy idea? Intrigued nevertheless? So what's the chat with strangers phenomenon really all about??

Everyone knows that sharing or discussing your personal details over the Internet is a massive no-no. Parents though, need to be highly vigilant about how they monitor their kids who, at an early age, are less aware of the hightened dangers that lurk on the Internet.

Thankfully, today there exists a number of apps and services which can monitor your childrens online activities and can prevent them accessing inapropritate websites.
Even adults who chat online are susceptible to forms of abuse such as stalking, bullying or even worse. Online abuse normally starts out as innocent online chat where offenders befriend their victim followed by an escalation of abuse.
Despite the obvious threat that sharing explicit photo's pose, the trend of young adults sharing naked photo's continues to escalate. If we know the immediate threats one has to wonder, why do we knowingly take the risk?
Why Do People Chat to Strangers Online?

Happiness! Humans being naturally and instinctively social, making new friends and associations make us feel good. The Internet provides these opportunities 24/7.

Feeling lonely and without many friends, or confidence, can sometimes issolate us from a thriving society. The Internet provides an opportunity to meet our basic human social needs, and can make us feel "normal"

Isolation from the world means missed opportunities. One forgets how to engage in conversations, loses confidence which can even see the on-set of serious depression come into play.

It's normal for a person who is feeling low on life to want to reach out. Talking to strangers online can combat the feeling of feeling alone where you're able to express yourself and your inner feelings in a different way than you would if you met a stranger face to face.

The state of not feeling alone can be very comforting.

Talking to strangers online and the concept of anonymity is an important consideration. People tend to often struggle discussing private and personal topics in real life, even to a licensed therapist. Discussing your inner secrets or problems behind a screen just seems easier.

How Safe is it?
Online abuse is real and ever-present. If you're subjected to, or become a target of online abuse the decisions you make during your initial interactions with people you meet online will determine if an abuser can start to target you in the offline world or not. Be smart about how much information you share with strangers you meet in a chat room.
Consider using an avatar instead of your real photo.

Statistics show that adults are potentially far more dangerous than younger Internet users. Seasoned trolls and Internet abusers have the capacity to engage in computer hacking and tracking strategies to trick you.

The good news is that this can typically be avoided by not opening or downloading attachments sent to you by online strangers. You can avoid being tracked online by using a VPN - tools which re-route the location of your computer or device signal.

Making Stranger Chat Rooms Work For You
Commonsense and your gut feeling is your strongest and most trusted ally when you are looking for meaningful conversations on the Internet. After all, you are essentially dealing with strangers - but these strangers for the most part are usually just other people like you who are reaching out into the unknown world of cyberspace looking for answers or looking to fill a void.
When it comes to the "chat with strangers phenomenon," just be careful your judgment isn't clouded and you don't become vulnerable to hacking, bullying or other forms of hostile Internet activities.
The idea of chatting to total strangers online may sound strange, though the fact that there are more than 400,000 stranger-chat-related Internet searches world-wide every month tells us there is clearly something in this "chat with strangers phenomenon," that attracts millions of anonymous web surfers year on year.
Though the reality remains that seeking advice which relates to complex mental health or personal issues from unqualified strangers while you remain in a vulnerable state of mind leaves you open to being scammed and exploited.