Talk to strangers by text, with an AI that hides abusive messages

Talking to a random stranger can be a lot of fun. You can practise your English with someone in another country, get through a boring evening, or talk to someone who knows nothing about you. The trouble with anonymous chat has always been the people who open with sexual messages, insults or threats. Omegle closed in 2023, and its founder named the fight against that kind of misuse as one of the reasons.

I made Strangers to try a different way of dealing with it. It's one-on-one text chat with a random person, right in your browser, and small AI models check every message you receive before you see it.

How it works

1. Open strangers.tukka.dev on your phone or computer. It runs in the browser, so there's nothing to install or sign up for.
2. Tick "I'm 18 or older." The first time, the safety models download (about 30 MB) and your browser keeps them for next time.
3. Press Start chatting, and you're matched with someone who's online right now.
4. Say hi. If it isn't clicking, press Next to meet someone else, or Stop to leave.

It's text only, so nobody sees your face or hears your voice.

How the AI hides abusive messages

Every message the stranger sends you goes through three checks inside your own browser before it appears: a short list of phrases, then two small AI models, one after the other. Between them they look for sexual messages, insults, threats and hate.

If one of them flags a message, you see "Message hidden" instead of the text. You can tap Show message to read it anyway, and Hide message to hide it again. The sender is reported automatically and isn't told. Anyone who collects three flags or reports within 24 hours is banned for seven days.

The checks run on the receiving side, so your own messages go out the moment you send them. Casual swearing and everyday phrases like "I killed it at the gym" get through.

The models work best in English, and they will miss some things. For anything they miss, like spam or someone who seems to be under 18, use Report. A report saves a copy of the message, counts against that person and ends the chat.

What stays private

Your messages pass through the Strangers server on their way to the other person, so they never see your internet address. Ordinary messages are held in memory only while you chat and aren't saved. Messages that the AI flags, or that someone reports, are kept so the protection can be checked and improved.

The chat isn't end-to-end encrypted, and the other person can copy anything you write. Keep your name, phone number and anything else that identifies you to yourself.

The rules

1. You must be 18 or older, and not from the United States.
2. No sexual messages or requests, including asking for photos.
3. No insults, harassment, threats or hate.
4. No spam, ads or links to other services.
5. Don't share anyone's personal details, including your own.

If someone seems to be under 18, leave the chat and report them. The about page has the full rules, the privacy policy and the terms.

Strangers is free. Start a chat at strangers.tukka.dev.