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The return of Chat Roulette? New study reveals risks of app marketed to teens but open to strangers
A new case study by 5Rights Foundation reveals how Walkie Talkie – All Talk exposes children to adult strangers online, raising questions about the app’s approach to children’s safety.
The study examines how children experience Walkie Talkie, a social app connecting users with strangers around the world through one-to-one audio calls and public chatrooms and assesses the app’s compliance with EU and UK regulations. The app has more than 10 million downloads on Google Play and over 90,000 reviews on the Apple App Store.
Using test accounts representing both child and adult users, researchers found that children could be matched with strangers without explicit age-range limits and were visible and contactable by adults by default. The study also found that the app lacked meaningful age verification, failed to filter harmful language and discussions and used design features that encouraged prolonged engagement and spending.
Key findings
- Children were exposed to adult strangers by default: Child test accounts were visible and contactable by adult users, with no warning or option to reduce profile visibility. A feature in the app, similar to the notorious Chat Roulette, connected users with strangers without explicit age-range limits.
- No reliable age assurance: Researchers could register using an unverified date of birth, with no meaningful age verification or verified parental consent for younger users.
- Moderation failed to catch harmful content: Language filters failed to detect offensive slurs and did not intervene in conversations about self-harm, suicide and drugs.
- Reporting tools were inadequate: Reporting tools were difficult to find and limited in scope. Researchers also found that users previously reported for unwanted behaviour could still be recommended as friends.
- Design encouraged engagement and spending: Researchers encountered pop-up ads that obstructed attempts to leave calls, deceptive subscription sign-up flows and notifications promoting rewards that did not exist or were difficult to find. Children were also shown inappropriate advertising, including for an adult-presenting “AI girlfriend” service.
Leanda Barrington-Leach, Executive Director at 5Rights Foundation, noted:
“Policy makers must ask themselves whether it is acceptable that such a service be allowed access to children without having to first demonstrate compliance with basic safety standards, and how they can drive better design. Exploration and connection should be fun and age-appropriate. It’s time for a reset and to start building the digital world children deserve.”
Walkie Talkie is just one of several platforms that have resurrected the function of Chat Roulette, where users are matched with strangers at random who are then able to contact them.
The findings come as the EU is developing the proposed EU Kids Act to strengthen protections for children online. The risks identified on Walkie Talkie highlight the urgent need for digital services to be safe for children by design and default, with effective safeguards against harmful contact, content and manipulative design. 5Rights Foundation is calling for immediate action from Walkie Talkie and regulators to address these risks and ensure compliance with existing laws.
