chat room

chat room, virtual space in which Internet users engage in discussion with one another in real time, often about a specific topic and typically in an informal setting.

The first chat room capable of supporting small group discussions online was Talkomatic, introduced in 1973 by American computer programmers David Woolley and Doug Brown. Woolley and Brown developed Talkomatic by using the e-learning system PLATO based at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. On the Talkomatic interface, each participant had his or her own screen section and was able to exchange messages with other users in real time. The system had a large following among PLATO users and lasted until the mid-1980s. Talkomatic was reintroduced, this time on a Web-based platform, in 2014.

In 1978 British computer programmer Roy Trubshaw created the chat room Multi-User Dungeon (MUD), inspired by the popular video game Dungeons & Dragons. Although Trubshaw initially meant for MUD to be used solely by him and his friends, the concept spread, and other creators designed their own chat rooms. By the mid-1990s there were upward of 400 MUD chat rooms. Gaming had been a main focus of the chat rooms initially, but other special-interest groups developed over time.

In 1988 Finnish programmer Jarkko Oikarinen introduced Internet Relay Chat (IRC), a service that initially featured just a single network and server. Oikarinen intended for IRC to facilitate communication between people with similar interests. By 1989 IRC had spread to more than 40 servers worldwide. In 1991 IRC became a channel for information about the Persian Gulf War for its base of more than 300 users, who were able to view live reports from IRC chat rooms. That same year IRC chat reports became the sole avenue of information exiting the Soviet Union because of a media blackout in the state. About the same time, feuds began to emerge in the IRC world, leading to split-off networks, such as EFnet, Undernet, DALnet, and IRCnet. By the early 2020s, IRC had come to consist of more than 400 such networks.

IRC uses the client-server model, which indicates that both client and server software are necessary for its functioning. The IRC client connects to an online server, which enables users to select a channel on which they can connect with other users. These principles guide modern chat rooms as well. Many chat rooms require log-on information from users but still offer a level of anonymity when interacting with other users. Occasionally, users are prompted to download a software client that enables them to use the chat room. Chat rooms typically offer additional features, such as private messaging, themed rooms, and customization. As with most Internet technology, there is potential for abuse, and cyberbullying is an issue that permeates such spaces as chat rooms, which offer a level of anonymity. Some chat rooms may run scams to steal user information.

Instant messaging services, such as Slack and Discord, also enable users to communicate with multiple people in real time in open channels as well as to communicate with others via private channels and direct messaging. Because of their design and ability to provide one-on-one interaction, as well as options for voice chat, video chat, and screen sharing, these services differ from chat rooms.