Chat room

A chat room or chatroom is a term used primarily by mass media to describe any form of synchronous conferencing, occasionally even asynchronous conferencing. The term can thus mean any technology ranging from real-time online chat over instant messaging and online forums to fully immersive graphical social environments.

Contents [hide]
1 Text-based chat
2 Graphical multi-user environments
3 Chat room activities
4 Rules of behaviour
5 Dangers
6 References
7 External links



[edit] Text-based chat
Online chat is a way of communicating by sending text messages to people in the same chat-room in real-time. The oldest form of true chat rooms are the text-based variety. Freelancin'_Roundtable was a modem-based text chat system in the 1980s. The most popular of this kind is Internet Relay Chat (IRC). However, there are also talkers and havens. The popularity of these kinds of chat rooms has waned over the years, and IRC's popularity has rapidly given way to instant messaging. Also a notable number of people were introduced to chat rooms from AOL and web chat sites.

There are also graphical user interface (GUI) text-based chat rooms which allow users to select an identifying icon and modify the look of their chat environment.


[edit] Graphical multi-user environments
Visual chat rooms (Active Worlds, Habbo Hotel, Chatablanca, There, etc) add graphics to the chat experience, in either 2D or 3D (employing virtual reality technology). These are characterized by using a graphic representation of the user (avatar) that can be moved about a graphic background or in a graphic environment. These virtual worlds are capable of incorporating elements such as games (in particular massively multiplayer online games) and educational material most often developed by individual site owners, who in general are simply more advanced users of the systems. The most popular environments also allow users to create or build their own spaces.

Some visual chat rooms also incorporate audio and video communications, so that users may actually see and hear each other. However, some find these types of environments cumbersome to use and actually an impediment to chatting.


[edit] Chat room activities
The primary use of a chat room is to share information via text with a group of other users. New technology has enabled the use of file sharing and webcams to be included in some programs and almost all Internet chat or messaging services allow users to display or send to each other photos of themselves.

Some people who visit chat rooms use them as a place to experience online sex, also known as cybersex or computer love. While not physically able to see their partner, cyber-ers apparently get stimulation by reading x-rated quotes. While many in the media focus on this aspect of chat rooms as it certainly boosts their ratings, it is by no means the only thing chat rooms are used for. It is important that the partakers in such activities do not reveal personal information such as addresses as sexual predators may use cybersex as a tool to stalk chatroom users.

Games are also often played in chat rooms. Historic examples are initgame, Hunt the Wumpus on IRC or an AOL chatroom game in AOL chat rooms.

But the true use of a chat room is still to meet old and new people.


[edit] Rules of behaviour
Chat rooms usually have stringent rules that they require users to follow in order to maintain integrity and safety for their users. Particularly in rooms for children, rules usually do not allow users to use offensive language, or to promote hate mail, violence and other negative issues. Also chat rooms often do not allow advertising in their rooms or flooding, which is continually filling the screen with repetitive text. Typing with caps lock on is usually considered shouting and is discouraged. Chat rooms usually have a list of rules for users to obey when they chat online though they are not usually kept.

Sometimes chat room venues are moderated either by limiting who is allowed to speak (not common), or by having moderation volunteers patrol the venue watching for disruptive or otherwise undesirable behaviour.

Yet, most commonly chat rooms are not moderated and users may type what they personally choose to send.


[edit] Dangers
As chat rooms are often frequented by children, they can be an avenue for pedophiles to initiate contact with potential victims. Predators will often pose as a child themselves, and attempt to lure children into a face-to-face meeting. Predators will often target the more quiet children in a chat room, hoping the attention will inspire interest in the new conversation. Researchers in the area advise parents to always be aware of what their children are doing while online, and be wary of secretive behaviour, such as avoiding letting parents see what is on the computer screen.