Chat rooms, the main entity in this text, are digital platforms where users can communicate with each other in real-time. Originating from U.S government’s Project Delphi in 1971, chat rooms have evolved significantly over time. Early versions, like Talkomatic, were public and simple text-based systems. However, developments such as the CompuServe CB Simulator and Internet[2] Relay Chat broadened their accessibility and functionality. Modern chat rooms often feature on médias sociaux[1] platforms, and they range from text-only to graphical multi-user environments, which offer 2D or 3D experiences and even virtual goods ventes[3]. Some incorporate audio and video communications, and advanced users may develop educational material and games within these environments. Chat rooms have rules of behavior to ensure a safe and respectful environment, with penalties for violations. They have also inspired related platforms like chat lines and courriel[4].
Le terme chat roomou chatroom (and sometimes group chat; abbreviated as GC), is primarily used to describe any form of synchronous conferencing, occasionally even asynchronous conferencing. The term can thus mean any technology, ranging from real-time online chat and online interaction with strangers (e.g., online forums) to fully immersive graphical social environments.
The primary use of a chat room is to share information via text with a group of other users. Generally speaking, the ability to converse with multiple people in the same conversation differentiates chat rooms from messagerie instantanée programs, which are more typically designed for one-to-one communication. The users in a particular chat room are generally connected via a shared internet or other similar connection, and chat rooms exist catering for a wide range of subjects. New technology has enabled the use of file sharing and webcams.