Popular video chat platform Omegle is closing down due to growing misuse of the platform.
The founder and programmer Leif K-Brooks announced the shutdown of the site on Thursday, citing the stress of running the site as too much for one person.
“Operating Omegle is no longer sustainable, financially nor psychologically,” he wrote in a blog post. “Frankly, I don’t want to have a heart attack in my 30s.”
Omegle gained popularity in 2009 as a video chatroom that randomly connected users based on specific interests. It soon became one of the most popular chat sites online.
However, controversy arose as users criticized the site for the proliferation of abusive activity, leading to numerous lawsuits.
In his blog post, Mr. Brooks mentioned that the COVID-19 pandemic brought a surge of new users to the site, something he was not prepared to handle.
“As much as I wish circumstances were different, the stress and expense of this fight — coupled with the existing stress and expense of operating Omegle, and fighting its misuse — are simply too much,” he wrote.
He expressed his concern about the future of the internet, lamenting the potential disappearance of the internet he once loved and the rise of a more passive and less interactive online experience.
“I worry that, unless the tide turns soon, the internet I fell in love with may cease to exist,” he wrote. “And in its palace, we will have something closer to a souped-up version of TV — focused largely on passive consumption, with much less opportunity for active participation and genuine human connection.”
