How to chat safely with strangers

Random chat is at its best when you are relaxed. These habits take almost no effort and remove most of what goes wrong.

Keep identifying details out of the conversation

The single most useful rule: nothing in a chat should let a stranger find you offline.

• Use a first name or a nickname, not your full name.
• Skip your city, school, employer and neighbourhood.
• Do not hand out social media handles to someone you met sixty seconds ago.
• Never share an address, a phone number or financial details. There is no good reason for either of you to need them.

Check what is behind you

On video, your background says more than you think. A visible street sign, a piece of post on a table, a uniform or a school logo can all narrow down where you are. Point the camera at a blank wall and the problem disappears.

Trust the feeling that something is off

If a conversation makes you uncomfortable, end it. You do not owe anyone an explanation, and skipping costs you nothing. Common warning signs:

• pressure to move to another app immediately;
• any request for money, gift cards or crypto;
• questions that keep circling back to where you live;
• anyone who reacts badly the first time you say no.

Report rather than just skipping

Skipping protects you. Reporting protects the next person. If someone breaks the rules, report them before you move on — it takes a second and it is the main signal moderation runs on.

Remember what you came for

A good random chat is a short, friendly conversation with someone you will probably never speak to again. Keeping that frame makes it easy to leave whenever you want to.