What it is
Chatous pairs strangers for text conversations. There is no existing friendship underneath the chat. People can claim any age, and the conversation can turn sexual or ask for photos within a few messages.
Text feels safer than video to a lot of parents. It is not safer when the other person is an adult who has done this many times. Treat random anonymous chat as something to remove.
What to look out for
- Chats that start with age, gender, or "where are you".
- A quick request for a photo or another app.
- A child who says the person is a teenager because they typed it.
- Deleted threads and a defensive reaction when you notice the icon.
Ways to stay safe
These steps are for Chatous. The house rules still apply on every app.
- Remove the app.
- Ask whether photos or a phone number were shared.
- If the other person is an adult, or claimed to be one, use the help page when anything sexual was asked for.
- Offer a boring alternative for "talking to someone new": a club, a team, or a game with people you both know.
In the news
Published reports you can read yourself. A headline is the proof, not a set of instructions, and this page does not repeat graphic detail.
- Ofcom looks at limits on gifts and recording a child’s livestream This 2025 BBC report is about Ofcom’s plans for livestreams. Chatous pairs strangers in a chat. It does not name Chatous. The BBC’s Omegle report is the one about that kind of random pairing.
- Omegle shut down after abuse claims This report is about Omegle. This app pairs a child with a stranger in the same way. It is a reason to keep it off the device, not a guide to using it.
A way to start the conversation
Say that a stranger who types "I am 14" has told you nothing. Ask what your child shared before they knew who they were writing to.
Video
Chatous parent briefing
A short video for this guide can be added by an editor. Until then, the written briefing above is the one to use.