Safety
Meeting someone new is the point of Stranger. Because you can't know who they are, it helps to decide in advance what you're willing to share, and what you'll do if a conversation turns.
Protect your identity
- Leave out your surname, address, school, employer and social accounts, however well the conversation is going.
- Before you turn your camera on, check the background: letters, photos, a uniform or the view from your window can identify you.
- Be wary if your match wants to continue on another app. That's how many scams start.
Expect to be recorded
Your match can record their screen without you knowing. A good rule: if you'd be upset to see it online, don't do it on camera.
Sextortion
Someone persuades you to undress or do something sexual on camera, secretly records it, and then threatens to share it unless you pay.
Don't pay. It rarely ends the demands. Stop replying, keep screenshots of the messages and account names, and report it to the police. You haven't done anything wrong; the person threatening you has.
StopNCII.org helps adults stop intimate images spreading on major platforms. For images of someone under 18, use Take It Down (takeitdown.ncmec.org).
Leaving is always fine
Press Esc or Next for a new match, or Stop to end the chat. You don't have to give a reason.
Telling us
Moderators check conversations, but reports help. Let us know the date and approximate time of the conversation and what happened, and we'll look it up.
If anyone is in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services first.