Chatroulette.com is a bad bet for children

Q. I've been seeing a number of mentions in the news of a Web site called chatroulette.com. What is it, and should I be worried about my children using it?

A. Chatroulette.com is a new Web site developed by a 17-year-old from Russia. When you log on, the site randomly connects you with another person - any age, any sex, any country - to videochat. If your child has a Webcam on the computer, he or she can use the site. Users are supposed to agree they're 16 or older before pressing "play," but no one is verifying age.

"I look at it and say it's dangerous on a couple of levels," says Aaron Kenny, chief technology officer for Internetsafety.com, which markets Safe Eyes, a parental control software program that blocks Web sites. "It's basically like taking your kid to the park and saying, 'Go talk to random strangers.'"

Some people use the site inappropriately, Kenny says, adding that he recently took a spin on the site. "I went through about 20 people," he says, and saw two instances of inappropriate behavior.

The images pop up right away, and while there is a "Next" button that can move you to a new match, "by that time you've already seen it," Kenny says.

Because of that type of content, Safe Eyes categorizes the site as one to be blocked. If you don't use parental control software, you should talk to your children about the site. Internetsafety.com also has free resources about keeping your kids safe when they're online, including an "Internet Monitoring Family Game Plan."