Chat Rooms:

There are areas online set up for anyone to chat. They are often defined by topic (i.e. music genre, sport, dating) and can either be text based – places where you simply type to people in real time, or avatar based – where you create a cartoon character of yourself and chat within a particular space. These spaces can be cafes, new worlds, castles or even ski resorts. Some people use chat rooms to meet new friends, to escape to a fantasy world or just to talk about something they find interesting with like minded people. Some chat rooms have the option to talk privately with people you have met in the public space or give you the chance to set up your own area.

A few chat rooms are moderated – which means that people are watching the chat and checking that no one says anything horrible or inappropriate. No chat site is 100% safe though, so if you like using chat rooms, check out our advice here on how to make sure you stay in control of the risks.