Technology is getting even creepier! Years ago, when families used those free trial AOL discs to connect to dial-up internet that loaded one .jpeg at a time, bored (horny?) adults and under-supervised children frequented Internet Relay Chat (IRC) networks or more easily, online chat rooms in order to 'meet' strangers and lie about themselves. As Google and Facebook have solidified their hegemony, people began to use these services less because now they could talk to everyone they've ever vaguely known, leaving little time for strangers. But when sexual quirks or supreme boredom surfaces, internet anonymity rears its head again. The chat service Omegle throws two anonymous people in one private chat room, and it's sort of like that MTV show Next. You can share personal details or nekkid pictures or make jokes that only you and your sleepover buddy think are funny. When you're bored, move on to the next one. Now, Chatroulette is rising in popularity; it's the same thing, but with video chat, meaning you will almost definitely see a penis.

Let's be frank: this service was created by exhibitionists for exhibitionists. And women tend to not act this way, at least not often. But the other possibilities for usage, beyond the crass, are few and far between. Are you going to stumble upon a soul mate? Maybe! But probably not. Will you even engage in a minute of substantive conservation? Not likely, but you'll see some gross and crazy shit. It's practically performance art, the type of weirdos you can find with a few minutes on Chatroulette. Nudity is all but guaranteed, and if you're lucky, you might get a costume or a musical performance. Odds are you'll get mooned. This is why parents should be scared of the internet.

But if you're brave (and under the influence?) you might have a ball. (You might also see balls!) The growing success of the service means something larger, maybe, about our exhibitionist culture or a surge in personal transparency or the effect of online anonymity. But, more simply, it can be exhilarating for a moment or ripe for internet trickery. Like that time you thought you met those Jersey Shore kids.