Special Edition: Gen Z gives Omegle a HUGE quarantine comeback
Special Edition: Gen Z gives Omegle a HUGE quarantine comeback
We were taught to not talk to strangers, but c'mon, it's a pandemic.
Normally we send out updates on Monday. But this is a special edition - which means the trend here is time-sensitive, and we want to help you understand it now.
Gen Z is mobbing Omegle, where random strangers meet each other on video chat. Yeah, it can go just as poorly as you might expect. But we’re still obsessed. Here’s why:
Background:
Omegle is an online chat platform that allows users to talk to random strangers around the world. First launched in 2009, it reached the height of its popularity in 2013 and became a staple entertainment activity during sleepovers. However, due to poor monitoring, the platform eventually became notorious for inappropriate content, which ultimately lead to the platform's apparent demise... until 2020 turned the world upside down and forced us to change our way of life completely.
In a matter of weeks, the world as we knew it came to an end. All of a sudden, school and work went remote, stores closed their doors and most recreational activities became prohibited. It was a massive and unexpected change for everyone, and Gen Z was no exception. For many of us, these next few years are the best of our life. This is the time in our lives to meet new people, try new things, and make unforgettable memories to last us a lifetime. Instead, the majority of us are back to living with our parents.
Feeling displaced and lost, Gen Z took to social media to find a sense of belonging. To our pleasant surprise, we were able to find ways to "replicate" our life prior to quarantine and Omegle is one of the platforms that has allowed us to do so. On Omegle, we are once again able to meet new people and form real connections. Furthermore, with the sudden influx of people with the sole intention of meeting others, the amount of inappropriate content on the platform was drowned out.
A quick search of the term "Omegle" on Google Trends clearly depicts Omegle's quarantine comeback. In the last month, the interest in Omegle among Gen Z has skyrocketed due to people posting recordings of their Omegle experiences on TikTok. From funny pranks to heartwarming conversations, these videos have been gaining a tremendous amount of attention on TikTok.
In one prank video, the creator "catfishes" his viewers into thinking that he is a girl by posing in front of the webcam in tight joggers and records their reactions when he reveals his true identity. The video was a hit on TikTok, gaining over 23.8M views, 5.8M likes, 17.6K comments, and 24.4K shares!
Apart from prank videos, there have also been many heartwarming conversations between Omegle strangers that have been posted on TikTok. In this video, for example, a kid curiously asks the creator why he is wearing makeup if he is comfortable with his gender, to which the creator answers: "Cause you know, I like to feel pretty." To the creator's surprise, the kid responds with: "Wow, I'm thankful for you."
As the platform becomes increasingly popular, even celebrities and influencers are finding their way onto the chat platform. Recently, popular Youtube star Emma Chamberlain even celebrated her 19th birthday on the site, asking strangers to help her decorate cupcakes. While it seems her experience on Omegle was not the greatest, it did encourage more Gen Zers to flood onto the platform in hopes of running into their favorite role models.
If you want to check out more TikTok videos of people's Omegle experiences, here's a list of videos we've compiled:
Takeaway:
One of our fundamental beliefs at GenZ Designs is that connection shapes belonging. This is one of the purest testaments to the validity of that belief. Gen Z seeks to truly belong here, and Omegle is facilitating our connection to each other.
A brand that participates in this trend shows that they understand our generation on a deeper level, that they are interacting with us where we are going to seek interaction.
We’re nearing the peak of popularity for this trend, and if brands wait much longer to engage in this it will be too late.
4.3 Billion. That’s how many people are seeing Omegle videos (up from 3.6B on Dec 4). Building loyalty with Gen Z starts now.
It's a shame that gen Z came to omegle... in the past you could have very deep conversations with adult people, you could chat over 2 hours about interesting topics... Now adults are gone.. all is so trivial