If you or a family member suffered sexual abuse on Omegle, a Fort Lauderdale Omegle lawsuit lawyer from the Dolman Law Group can advise you of your legal rights, and help you seek compensation.
More often than not, young people turn to Omegle to randomly connect with other users online via video chats. While this might appear fun on the surface, it can also be harmful as it has become a haven for abusers and child predators.
Why Is Omegle So Dangerous?
Omegle is a free online website that offers text and video chats. The platform randomly matches users to anonymously chat with a stranger who may or may not share a common interest. Omegle began in 2009 and has grown increasingly popular with young adults and children. Omegle has grown to roughly 1.6 million visitors each day.
Many young users seem to welcome the opportunity to talk to a stranger, yet the website has become a hunting ground for illicit content. Inappropriate images, conversation topics, exchange of information, etc., are taking place. Unfortunately, these topics and experiences damage our youth and their well-being.
How Has Omegle Been Negligent?
Omegle clearly states that users must not be under 13 years old, and they must have parental permission and supervision to use the platform if they are under 18. But they have no system to verify age or supervision, which allows young children to bypass this page easily.
The Omegle home page carries the following statement: "Users are solely responsible for their behavior while using Omegle."
This implies that Omegle is unwilling to take responsibility for its content and what users may or may not come into contact with. The company claims that it has increased its efforts to monitor the content. While this might be the case, as a report from the BBC shows, whatever measures Omegle is taking are insufficient. The BBC's findings include parings with children who appeared "as young as seven or eight" and several inappropriate displays.
Young users can access graphic material and find themselves vulnerable to sexual abuse with each pairing on Omegle.
Areas of Concern
- Anonymity. Omegle claims anonymity is one of its best features. They must be aware that anonymity lends itself to misuse.
- Age Verification. Users don't have to register and prove their age. No system is foolproof, but Omegle does nothing in this area to prevent young users.
- Weak Monitoring.As the BBC report reveals, there is easily available and explicit content. This exposes vulnerable children to abuse.
- Ease of Access.Anyone with access to the internet can get onto Omegle anytime, anywhere.
- Proven Abuse.Omegle doesn't offer a platform that might have the potential for abuse. It is a platform for abuse; there are many documented actual abuse cases.
- Lack of Transparency. It is unclear whether Omegle stores video content or what they do with it once an interaction ends.
Legislation That Protects Victims of Sexual Abuse
Federal legislation 18 U.S.C. § 2255 gives victims of sexual abuse the right to ask for personal injury damages from anyone, or any entity, that produces, distributes, or possesses child sex abuse images. We believe that Omegle falls under this law.
It offers a way to pursue a claim through a civil lawsuit. While a crime may be easier to prove with the defendant's criminal record, this law offers a way forward even when the courts have not found the suspected offender guilty of a crime.
You can claim physical and emotional damages through the civil court system. You can also claim legal costs and compensation as part of your pain and suffering.
Holding Omegle Accountable
If you believe that Omegle is responsible for their user's actions and the content on their site, you should make sure that abused users are heard, seen, and compensated for their injuries.
Financial compensation can never make up for the harm that a sexually abused individual has suffered, but it does hold the guilty party accountable.
You can ask for the following damages in your legal case against Omegle:
- Pain and suffering
- PTSD
- Medical costs
- Therapy costs
Legal Representation for Victims
If you live in the Fort Lauderdale area and believe you or your child suffered sexual abuse on Omegle, you might benefit from talking with a personal injury lawyer. A personal injury attorney will be familiar with the laws and can help you file a claim against Omegle so that you and your loved one can receive compensation for the suffering Omegle has allowed.
Your attorney can put together your case and defend your rights while you focus on caring for yourself or your loved one. Sexual abuse cases are emotionally hard on the sufferer and their family; letting a lawyer help can alleviate some of that burden.
Contact Dolman Law Group
Call the Dolman Law Group for a free initial consultation that allows us to review your case and decide how best to proceed. This conversation will also give you the chance to raise any questions that you might have.
We work on a contingency fee basis, which means we don't charge anything up front for our services. Call us today for your no-obligation case review.
Fort Lauderdale Office
150 E Davie Blvd Suite 201-2
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Phone: (754) 208-1130