Chat Avenue is a web site that hosts chat rooms. A total of 20 chat rooms are available. Originally launched with DigiChat software based on Java, it was subsequently changed and built with 123 Flash Chat, an
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash (formerly Macromedia Flash and FutureSplash) is a multimedia software platform used for production of animations, rich web applications, desktop applications, mobile apps, mobile games, and embedded web browser video players. Flash ...
-based software for in-browser
chat room
The term chat room, or chatroom (and sometimes group chat; abbreviated as GC), is primarily used to describe any form of synchronous conferencing, occasionally even asynchronous conferencing. The term can thus mean any technology, ranging from ...
s in October 2005.
In 2018, new PHP software was added to the website due to browser restrictions and the upcoming
end-of-life announcement by Flash. In 2021, new chat software was added enabling user support of a
webcam
A webcam is a video camera which is designed to record or stream to a computer or computer network. They are primarily used in videotelephony, livestreaming and social media, and security. Webcams can be built-in computer hardware or peripher ...
. The chat rooms are administered by volunteer moderators and administrators.
Use of platform by law enforcement
Some chat rooms within the site, which target younger audiences, are known to be used by law enforcement to catch online predators.
On September 18, 2018, New Jersey Attorney General
Gurbir Grewal
Gurbir Singh Grewal (; born June 23, 1973) is an American attorney and prosecutor who served as the sixty-first attorney general of the State of New Jersey from January 2018 until his resignation in July 2021. Appointed by Governor of New Jersey P ...
announced the arrests of 24 alleged child predators in “Operation Open House,” a multi-agency undercover operation targeting men who allegedly were using social media in an attempt to lure underage girls and boys for sexual activity. Chat Avenue was among the social media and messaging apps named to have allegedly been used by the child predators.
In February 2021,
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
released a television series documenting a specialist covert police unit tracking sexual predators online. Chat Avenue was one of the platforms used by the police officers and was featured abundantly in the first episode of the series.
See also
*
List of chat websites
*
Online chat
Online chat may refer to any kind of communication over the Internet that offers a real-time transmission of text messages from sender to receiver. Chat messages are generally short in order to enable other participants to respond quickly. Ther ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Official Site
Online chat