Chatroulette Is Cleaning Up Its Act. But Is That What Users Want?

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Hold onto your pants (or blindfold), it looks like Chatroulette, the random video chat site created by Russian high school student Andrey Ternovskiy, is cleaning up its act. After seeing a drop is usage, Chatroulette thinks that a “cleaner” platform will help lure users back to the service. But is a clean Chatroulette what want users want?

Cleaning Chatroulette

In addition to tapping 99Designs to help with some design and logo work, according to TechCrunch, Chatroulette recently announced some new technology to help block the nude exposure it’s become synonymous with. Chatroulette is now using a mix of “electronic and human methods” to help keep the novelty site clear of “inappropriate content” (aka masturbating guys).

What Do Chatroulette’s Users Want?

But is “clean” what Chatroulette’s 20M unique visitors a month want? Part of Chatroulette’s “charm” or “lure” is, it’s both shocking and anonymous! You never know what you’ll see on the other side of the camera. Would Jon Stewart‘s Chatroulette tour on The Daily Show have still been funny without the shock? What would Dancing Dongs and Tino the Guido from Hoboken, NJ do on Saturday nights? Would Donkey Man still have become the minor Internet celebrity he is today?

What do you think? Does a “clean” Chatroulette stand a chance of survival? Please post a note in the comments below.