What it is
OmeTV connects the camera to a stranger, then another stranger. There is no friend list to check and no good reason for a child to have it. People on the other side may be adults, and some will behave sexually the moment the video starts.
This briefing does not explain how to use the app. If it is installed, it comes off.
What to look out for
- A video-chat app you do not recognise, sometimes under a new name.
- The camera in use while they are alone.
- A sudden swipe to the next person when you walk in.
- The same kind of app reinstalled after you delete one.
Ways to stay safe
These steps are for OmeTV. The house rules still apply on every app.
- Remove the app and keep the app-store password.
- Ask, calmly, whether anyone asked for photos, a phone number, or a meeting.
- If the answer is yes, or you saw sexual behaviour, use the help page. Do not contact the other person.
- Check for sister apps: random video chats tend to be installed in a set.
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. OmeTV pairs a child with a stranger on video. It does not name OmeTV. The BBC’s Omegle report is the one about that kind of app.
- 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
You can say: "This puts your face in front of a stranger. That is not safe, so it is coming off. If anyone showed you something sexual or asked to meet, tell me now. You will not be in trouble for telling me."
Video
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.