Alex Leavitt, lead researcher for the Web Ecology Project and a tech research specialist at MIT agrees with Locklear — Chatroulette, which launched in November 2009, is not for social networking or making any lasting connections like Twitter or Facebook.

“For social media experts, I doubt that Chatroulette is important at all,” he says. “It’s novel and intriguing, but there’s little there for them to use as business models.”

Instead, it’s almost anti-community-building. It’s quick and minimalist, which, Leavitt says, could be a platform for “interesting things.”

So, I figured I’d just post my answers here. Read on if you’re interested in my reactions to ChatRoulette.

1. I’d like to know what you, personally, think about CR. Is it exciting, frightening?

I heard about ChatRoulette for the first time right before Web Ecology Camp 3, where we performed our research for the ChatRoulette report. I thought the concept was pretty hilarious, which I feel how people around my age (22) react as well. I’ve heard that older folk feel a bit adverse to or confused with the idea of talking with strangers online (especially via webcam). But I’ve actually had some pretty awesome experiences on ChatRoulette: one night some friends and I talked to a male college student in Turkey for almost two hours, after having spoken to another group of college students in Norway for another 45 minutes. Some people will try to talk to you while others will click Next in less than a second. I just think that most people should approach ChatRoulette with a sense of humor, ready to click Next when they encounter content they don’t like.

2. I’d love to know why you think this is such a big story for journalists and for social media experts. Why is this site different than the billions of other sites that come online every week?

I think that the site is full of such hype for journalists because it’s the “big thing” on the Internet right now: it’s controversial only because there’s occasionally explicit content. Given that over the past couple of years, news outlets have begun to cover online content more thoroughly, I do not find it strange that ChatRoulette eventually was picked up. The hype also built as major sources ran anecdotal articles about it; I believe that New York Magazine was the first. Even more organizations are jumping onto the bandwagon now that the New York Times and even Jon Stewart have run coverage.

For social media experts, I doubt that ChatRoulette is important at all. It’s novel and intriguing, but there’s little there for them to use as business models. Of course, we’re talking about “social media experts” as in people who are hired to analyze social networks for potential marketing purposes.

As for us at the Web Ecology Project, we find ChatRoulette primarily interesting because it’s an online system that has done something new: the platform does not allow for the creation of lasting connections between users, unlike other social networks (which emphasize connections). In fact, we might think of ChatRoulette possessing anti-network attributes. This type of system is why we dub the social structure that forms around ChatRoulette a “probabilistic community,” because the code of ChatRoulette ensures that a community might never form. Also, we find ChatRoulette particularly awesome because it was constructed with a minimalist approach, just like other online spaces that foster bits of Internet culture, like Craigslist.org or 4chan.org. The less restraints by the platform, the more capabilities users possess to produce interesting things.

3. I’ve been hearing from people that CR reminds them of sort of the “Dawn of Time” of the Internet. Like chat rooms in AOL and the like, where there was no moderation. Is this something you think about?

I can understand why people want to think of ChatRoulette like AOL chatrooms, and while I would like to agree (it’s a bit nostalgic, since I was in middle school when I used AOL as a hangout), they’re not the same. First, in terms of how each platform works, it’s true that interacting on AOL’s chatrooms frequently produced conversations between strangers, but random encounters there are not any different from those on modern Internet forums (or ordinary face-to-face networking in real life for that matter).

As for moderation, ChatRoulette is actually bounded by community-driven moderation: there is a Report button at the top of the page, and according to a recent interview with Andrey Ternovskiv once a user is Report-ed 3 times, his or her IP address is banned from the site. Even sites like 4chan are run by moderators, albeit only for the most extreme explicit content, but it’s still moderation all the same.

4. Does CR prove (not like we needed any more evidence!) that anonymity will bring about sexual impulses, voyeurism and exhibitionism?

Anonymity does not equate to sexual deviancy (“sexual impulses, voyeurism, and exhibitionism”). However, those users exhibiting explicit content on ChatRoulette have already solved the equation that makes up the “web ecology” of the website — how the platform shapes user interaction, and (vice-versa) how users then shape the culture of the platform. These specific users are simply taking advantage of the website’s architecture. However, I believe that the moderation of the site on top of (as we explain in our report) the influx of a multitude of new users will help decrease the chance of encountering explicit content on ChatRoulette. Then again, you also have to take into account the current community on the site: about 1/4 of ChatRoulette’s users are from the United States, so it’s possible that more encounters with explicit content will occur after 8:00 pm (when most people are sitting in the privacy of their own home).

5. Do you think CR has any value other than being just a neat pastime?

ChatRoulette certainly has value, but it may be more theoretical and academic than anything else. It certainly is an interesting case study for those interested in examining how communities form online, especially given the restraints of particular platforms. Other significant areas of study might be around issues of perception (eg., Nexting click-through rates based on who or what appears) or cultural production (eg., Are there trends in the appearance of masks on ChatRoulette?).

ChatRoulette has for me been an interesting space for social gaming. A few people have held up signs saying “Make this face.” or “Thumbs up for science!” that have garnered a lot of participants. The existence of communities outside of ChatRoulette that uses ChatRoulette as an interface for content (such as http://catroulette.tumblr.com, which we use as an example in the report) have been using game-like strategies to interact with other users. It seems that Andrey actually changed the Start button to New Game recently, which in relation to this point about gaming is a bit philosophical in itself!

6. Finally, (I have to ask) do you have any concerns about young people being exposed to nudity, masturbation and possible sexual predators on the site? Does CR reinforce anything about parenting and the Internet?

Obviously a site where practically anything can appear might be daunting for parents. When I was younger, my parents didn’t know much about the Internet when I frequented Neopets.com, AOL chatrooms, and the like in the late ’90s/early ’00s. As long as parents educate their children to use common sense while being aware of their surroundings, I think that kids should be able to explore online spaces. Most of what my parents taught me about going out to play in the neighborhood I applied to the online realm back then as well. Certain parents will moderate what their children do online, while others won’t give a damn. And as my friend and colleague danah boyd writes, “Can youth get themselves into trouble here? Sure… like in most public places.” Of course, ChatRoulette also states on the initial page, “You have to be at least 16 years old to use our service.” While this message might not deter as many users as might 4chan’s Disclaimer pop-up when you approach the boards with explicit content, it’s there. We just have to trust that younger users will make informed decisions when they use sites like ChatRoulette.

7. Oops! One more: Is there anything you’d like to change about the site?

I have had thoughts about possible tweaks that Andrey could make to ChatRoulette. For example, I wouldn’t mind having a timer, so that I could see how long each of my conversations (or lack thereof) lasts. But Andrey has stated that most likely he will not implement any major changes to the site. There have already been spin-off sites created with extra moderation or other features, but I would like to take the example of the probabilistic community and extend it further for other applications. For example, what might a social network look like if it deleted all of your friends after three months? I think that experimenting with restraints like these will lead to some fun and surprising online social spaces in the near future.

Strangers in the Net, Exchanging Glances

Also, I’m cited in the Wall Street Journal.

Chatroulette, by the Numbers

Also also, the Huffington Post.

ChatRoulette In Park Slope: Private Goes Public (VIDEO)

And according to one friend, he heard us mentioned on CNN while watching television.

(In other news, I’m going to try to get some content up this week. Look out for it.)

- Finally started at the Convergence Culture Consortium at MIT (Comparative Media Studies). Been organizing research projects for the next year, and I’ve already applied anime as a case study for analysis of modes of media consumption by certain audiences.

- Been hard at work with the Web Ecology Project. Last week, I spent the greater part of five days finishing up our most-recent major publication, “The Influentials: New Approaches for Analyzing Influence on Twitter.” I would say it’s our first academically-toned report, and we have a sick data visualization, so check out the website.

- Looks like I’ll be attending and speaking at the Schoolgirls & Mobilesuits at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in Minneapolis, MN, from Friday 25 September to Sunday 27 September 2009. I’ll most likely be presenting on the death of narrative structure in anime and money-dependent entertainment, exemplified by Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Finally, look out for a couple articles (finally) coming out next week. Plans for saving the future of the anime fandom and many thoughts on Ghibli flicks to come!

But then off again to Anime Expo!

Sorry for the aberrant hiatus, everyone. Been really busy in the past few weeks with:

- Open Video Conference, where I spoke about the anime fandom’s balancing act of video culture and copyright law
- Web Ecology Project: We released a white paper full of quantitative analysis about how ideas move in the discourse regarding the Iranian Election on Twitter
- Hanging out in NYC with the crew from my Kyoto study abroad group (KCJS)

I really want/need to write articles this week, so I’ll try to get a lot of content up soon. But I have a lot on my plate right now, specifically fandom research in California and drawing up grant proposals for fandom research in Boston and Tokyo.

Good news is that come Thursday I’ll be in Los Angeles, speaking at Anime Expo. I have four panels lined up, which are:

Anime and Manga in Academia
Saturday, July 04, 2009 6:00pm to 6:50pm – LP 2
Whether you have just begun studying anime and manga seriously or are already well into your studies, this panel will guide you on the path from fan to established Japanese popular culture scholar.

Introduction to Anime/Manga Studies
Friday, July 03, 2009 10:30am to 11:20am – LP 3
Ever wanted to write a school paper on religion in Naruto? Read a book on Neon Genesis Evangelion? Or even get a college degree in otaku studies? Come meet the members of the Anime/Manga Research Circle!

The Problem with Otaku
Sunday, July 05, 2009 12:00pm to 12:50pm LP 2
From 1980s science fiction geeks, the concept of otaku has wholly transformed in Japan and America. We’ll examine the history and controversies of the most crucial part of the anime fandom: the fans.

Without Watching the Anime: Opening & Ending Themes
Friday, July 03, 2009 6:00pm to 6:50pm LP 3
When we watch anime, we tend to ignore what begins and ends series. But these small clips matter too! We’ll discuss history and music, and show some of the most influential OPs & EDs out there.

The rest of my potential schedule looks like this:

Thursday
- Digital Manga Publishing Industry Panel & eManga Demonstration (will miss due to plane arrival)
- Kouga Guest Panel (may miss due to plane arrival)
- Morikawa Guest Panel (may miss due to plane arrival)
- Morning Musume Guest Panel
- Imaishi & Nishigori Guest Panel
- Right Stuf & Nozomi Entertainment Industry Panel
- eigoMANGA Industry Panel
- Japan’s Hottest Doujin Videogames
- Gainax Focus Panel
- The Making of Gurren Lagann Documentary

Friday
- Introduction to Anime/Manga Studies
- Mizushima & Kuroda Guest Panel
- Gundam: The 30 Year Anniversary
- Manga as High Art
- VIZ Media Anime & Manga Panel
- Evangelion 1.0.1 Panel (won’t have time to see the movie due to…)
- Without Watching the Anime: OPs & EDs

Saturday
- The Indecent Otaku Comedy Hour
- Nightow & Nishimura Guest Panel
- Digital Distribution of Anime & Manga
- FUNimation Industry Panel
- Anime & Manga in Academia

Sunday
- Directors Panel [or] Breaking Into Anime Journalism [or] Convention Feedback Session
- Crunchyroll Panel [or] SPJA Board of Directors Panel
- The Problem with Otaku
- Production I.G.
- Closing Ceremonies

Also, I’m still scheduled to speak on a number of panels at Otakon, so if you’re not available to fly out to California this week, I’ll see you in Baltimore!