Omegle, a well-known online chat service that facilitated conversations with strangers, has officially shut down after over 14 years of operation. The decision comes as the platform faced a surge in misuse, including involvement in “unspeakably heinous crimes.”

Founded in 2009 by 18-year-old programmer and high school student Leif K-Brooks, Omegle operated as a bootstrapped venture throughout its existence. Despite a decline in popularity over the years, the platform still attracted approximately 50 million visitors last month, as reported by analytics firm SimilarWeb.

In a reflective blog post, K-Brooks shared his surprise at the instant popularity Omegle gained after its launch, emphasizing the platform’s role in fulfilling the basic human need for meeting new people.

Omegle received criticism during the pandemic when it became a hub for various questionable activities, leading to an increased level of scrutiny. Despite efforts to implement improvements, recent attacks on the platform were deemed counterproductive.

Expressing the financial and psychological challenges of sustaining Omegle, K-Brooks mentioned the stress of the ongoing fight against misuse, making the operation unsustainable. He expressed concern about the changing landscape of the internet in the past decade and how it has impacted the platform.

“The battle for Omegle has been lost, but the war against the Internet rages on. Virtually every online communication service has been subject to the same kinds of attack as Omegle,” K-Brooks stated, expressing worry about the potential transformation of the internet into a more passive, consumption-focused space, with diminished opportunities for active participation and genuine human connection.