Chat Room

Most chat rooms allow users to register for the topic of their choice with a username and password. Categories may include Arts and Entertainment, Sports, Current Events, Politics, etc. Once inside, there is usually a list indicating the users who are currently online or those who are involved in a chat session. In order to chat, users must type their message into a text field. After clicking “send” the message is instantly visible in a larger communal message field that allows other users to make a response. When a user enters a chat room and doesn’t participate in a session, the act is called lurking. Since a chat room is instantly visible and spontaneous, it has become a platform for online abuse. Sites hosting chat rooms typically will implement an FAQ (Frequently Asked Question) area to make users aware of what is deemed as appropriate behavior. This may include making a formal introduction upon entering a room, clearly addressing a specific user or reporting other abusive users. Chat room abuse may consist of disruptive users verbally harassing others, monopolizing conversations, or disrupting a chat session by repeatedly typing the same phrase or word into a text field, a practice known as scrolling.