The 5 Unspoken Rules of Random Video Chatting

Random video chat sites are a place where people from just about anywhere in the world can get together for conversations, casual hangouts, friendly debates, and more. On a random chat site like Camsurf, it’s impossible to know what could happen on your next chat – and that’s what makes it exciting! The luck-of-the-draw aspect of random chatting is one of the things that keeps people coming back. Sure, it’s typical to get skipped for a different chat partner, or have a few unpleasant interactions, but most chats are enjoyable for everyone involved.

5 Rules for Random Video Chatting

Even though random video chatting apps have very few official rules in place, there are still a few things that most chatters do as a matter of course. They certainly aren’t mandatory, but they can definitely give you a better experience on any random chat site.

Be willing to keep an open mind

You can find all kinds of people on a random chat site, and every one of them will have their own opinions and viewpoints. You’re likely to have chats with people you definitely don’t agree with, and when this happens, you have to choose how to respond. Will you argue with them? Maybe you already know that it’s pointless to white-knuckle your way through this particular chat, and go to the next one. However, if the person you’re chatting with isn’t blatantly attacking your core beliefs, it could be worth your while to listen. Even if you still don’t agree with them once they’ve said their piece, you could realize that your own perspective was a little off-center after all.

Avoid scammers

It should come as no surprise that you could run into a scammer here and there as you video chat with strangers. They’ll rarely seem like scammers; if they did, they’d be pretty bad at their jobs. In order to detect them, just remember what they’re after: your personal information. Identity theft is a common scam on random chat sites, but there’s a foolproof way to prevent this from happening. Just don’t tell them what they want to know! Details like your last name, where you live or work, where you went to college, and contact information can all be used against you, so be careful around anyone who seems curious to know this type of information.

It’s true that these things can come up during a completely innocent chat; after all, most people aren’t used to watching out for identity thieves. You and your chat partner might be discussing your ancestries, and one of you will say “yeah, I have the most German last name ever”. It might seem awkward to say something like that and then decline to reveal the actual name, but it would be unfortunate if you let some key information slip out in front of the wrong person.

Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses

If you just read the last couple of paragraphs and started feeling nervous, here’s some reassurance – most of the people you’ll meet on a random chat site are there to entertain and be entertained, and that’s it. While you should always keep your eyes peeled for sketchy characters, don’t be so cautious that you forget to enjoy your video chatting sessions.

Fix up your webcam presentation

It’s pretty common to skip some of the chatters you get paired up with, for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes it’s because they’re boring, other times because they’re obnoxious. In some cases, though, it’s because they look like they’re video chatting from the basement of an abandoned house. Even if they wouldn’t care to admit it, some people do judge books by their covers, and that definitely applies to random video chats.

The main things to think about are the background and the lighting. You want to avoid extremes with both of them. As far as your background is concerned, avoid big blank spaces or messy areas. You don’t have to deep-clean your house before you start video chatting; a basically pleasant-looking space will go a long way.

Lighting is arguably more important, so if you get anything right, make sure it’s the lighting. You have a lot of flexibility; just remember that natural, diffuse lighting is best, and fluorescent bulbs will probably wash you out. If you can’t make it work with light fixtures, bring in a lamp or two. Play around with what you’ve got on hand; it’ll be worth the time it takes.

Maybe this goes without saying, but here goes anyway. Your pajamas aren’t really the best wardrobe choice for random video chatting. You can totally wear them if you want, but be aware that this is pretty much signaling other video chatters that you don’t really care. If all you’re after is some casual what-did-you-do-today conversation, it doesn’t really matter. If you wanted to get into anything deeper, though, it might be worth your while to put on something a little nicer.

Have some fun ideas to contribute

It’s easy to assume that you’ll just come up with something when you need to, but having a backup plan is always a good idea. If you can suggest something entertaining during any lull in the chat, you’ll both have a better experience.

Not sure what those suggestions could look like? Here are a couple to get you started. You could stage a debate about whether dogs are better than cats; if you happen to agree with each other, one of you could play the devil’s advocate. Talk about your dream vacation – where would you go if you had all the money in the world?

If there was a 6th rule, it would be: have fun!

Remember not to get too caught up in making sure you do everything right. As long as both you and your chat partner are enjoying the conversation, you don’t even have to worry about the rules – just let the good times roll!