Public chatrooms can be populated by anyone, since accounts usually only require an email address to verify a user’s identity.

Most chatrooms do not carry age verification; therefore children can visit chatrooms of an adult nature. People can behave inappropriately or abusively. The nature of chatroom exchanges tends to be less inhibited than when people meet in the real world for the first time, and children can be persuaded to give out too much personal information and contact details.

Chatrooms are not necessarily moderated (by a person observing conversations as they happen) or monitored (by someone reviewing previous chat session transcripts).

There have been cases of adults using public chatrooms to begin relationships with children and young people in order to sexually abuse them; (see Resources section for educational and awareness materials in this and other internet safety areas).