Jacksonville Omegle Lawsuit Lawyer

April 6, 2022 | Attorney, Matthew Dolman

The website Omegle has been in the news for the wrong reasons. Users can video chat anonymously with other users without sorting in any way, including by age. This allows random pairing between younger users and older users. Due to the nature of the website, Omegle has received heavy criticism over the last several years and is associated with sexual predators and pedophiles.

If you or a loved one has been abused, exploited, or violated on this website, a Jacksonville Omegle lawsuit lawyer from Dolman Law Group can help you file a claim.

How does Omegle Work?

Omegle has been around since 2009 but gained popularity at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. People were quarantined at home and wanted to use the website as a social outlet. Omegle's tagline is "Talk to Strangers." 

The website has a straightforward design with two options on the site. There is a monitored section and an unmonitored section. 

  • The unmonitored section is for adults only. There is currently no way to verify the age of users in the adults-only section (so it is genuinely unmonitored). This means there is no way to ensure minors don't enter this section. The unmonitored section allows for nudity and adult content.
  • The monitored section of Omegle is designed to be safe for minors. However, there is no restriction for adults.

Omegle requires that users be at least 13 years old, but since there is no way to verify this information, many Omegle users may be younger than 13. Users are randomly matched with another user in both the monitored and unmonitored sections. Once matched, both users can immediately see the other's feed. Both users can either stay and chat or leave the person and pair with another user.

Significant Safety Concerns on Omegle

Since its inception, Omegle has been viewed somewhat skeptically for several reasons. Some common concerns that users share about Omegle include:

  • Omegle does not allow users to report inappropriate, threatening, or harmful behavior from other users. Instead, the site wants users to simply exit the chat and move on to the next user. The problem is that nothing stops the abuse, and the guilty party gets a new victim.
  • Omegle does not have an age verification process. This allows young children access to the site (and potentially exposes them to sexual abuse).
  • The moderation on Omegle is not sufficient. Regularly, users are exposed to unwanted abuse with no recourse on the site.
  • Omegle has run advertisements for pornographic websites. While Omegle claims the advertisements are age-restricted, its lack of an age verification process makes it more likely that a minor could see this advertising.

A BBC report indicates many troubling patterns on Omegle as well. According to the BBC, they monitored the website for about 10 hours. They "were paired with dozens of under-18s, and some appeared to be as young as seven or eight." This happened with random pairings. The BBC also reported the following disturbing facts:

  • Omegle is very popular. At the time of the article, TikTok "videos tagged with 'Omegle' have been viewed more than 9.4 billion times."
  • During one "one two-hour period, we were connected at random with 12 masturbating men, eight naked males and seven porn adverts."
  • The BBC also paired twice (randomly) with young boys masturbating on the website. Reportedly, one of them told the BBC he was 14 years old.
  • A parent of an eight-year-old in the United Kingdom says that her daughter was "nearly coerced into sexual activity by an older man" and that "she witnessed a man masturbating and another man wanted to play truth or dare with her."
  • The CEO of Omegle, Leif K. Brooks, has indicated that Omegle is monitored and that his team "block(s) users who appear to be under 13." Brooks has also claimed that pornographic advertisements are age-restricted. This is a hard claim to substantiate since the website does not have age verification.

The Law Is on Your Side

18 U.S. Code § 2255, proposed by Senator Marsha Blackburn, supports victims of child abuse. It gives victims the right to seek personal injury compensation. You must prove that one of the following occurred:

  • The defendant produced child sex abuse images.
  • The defendant distributed child sex abuse images.
  • The defendant possesses (or possessed) child sex abuse images.

This law allows for a victim of child abuse to recoup financial losses. Even if the abuser was not found guilty of a crime, the statute allows filing a civil lawsuit. Stipulations for the law include:

  • If their case is proven, child abuse victims can seek $150,000 in damages.
  • The statute of limitations for a child abuse lawsuit is 10 years. This means 10 years after the incident or ten years after the victim's 18th birthday, depending on the circumstances of the case.

How Can a Jacksonville Lawsuit Lawyer Help?

If you or a loved one was abused on the website Omegle, you might be considering hiring a lawyer. We can handle your Omegle lawsuit for you. Here are some of the many ways we can help:

  • Acquiring any necessary evidence to prove your case
  • Working with you to write the complaint
  • Communicating along the way to keep you informed
  • Ensuring you and/or your child are as comfortable as possible during the process
  • Negotiating with Omegle and its attorneys outside of court if necessary
  • Representing you in court
  • Possessing a thorough understanding of the relevant laws

Contact Dolman Law Group Today

If you or a loved one was exploited or abused on Omegle, the Dolman Law Group is here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation. Our team can help you with sensitive situations. Give us a call today to get your legal questions answered. 

Jacksonville Office
12574 Flagler Center Blvd.;
Suite 101
Jacksonville, FL 32258
Phone: (904) 441-6903

 

Matthew Dolman

Personal Injury Lawyer

This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has successfully fought for more than 11,000 injured clients and acted as lead counsel in more than 1,000 lawsuits. Always on the cutting edge of personal injury law, Matt is actively engaged in complex legal matters, including Suboxone, AFFF, and Ozempic lawsuits.  Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.

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