Do you want to know how safe you are on Omegle? Are you being tracked by Omegle, what information do they know about you. Can the platform even track you? All of these and many more details regarding your privacy and security on Omegle will be discussed on this page.
Can Omegle Track You?
Yes, Omegle can track you and they do. The Omegle service parades itself as an anonymous chat network. But the anonymity is among users; they have the technology to track you and do make use of it. All web services collect IP addresses of their users and place cookies in their browsers for tracking purpose and Omegle is not an exception.
Here are some of the ways Omegle can track you:
- IP address: Omegle collects your IP address, which is a unique identifier that can be used to determine your approximate location.
- Browser fingerprint: Omegle also collects your browser fingerprint, which is a unique identifier that can be used to track your browsing activity across different websites.
- Cookies: Omegle may also set cookies on your computer, which are small files that can be used to track your browsing activity.
In fact, for an anonymous social media platform that conforms with the law and law enforcement agencies, it is forced to use both your IP address and cookies to identify and track you. But it is not alone here, other third-party services they use can do same.
How Omegle Tracks You
For a second, forget the term anonymous when dealing with Omegle. This is because you’re not anonymous to them. In fact, you won’t enjoy a good user experience without them knowing you. And they only get to know you if you’re identifiable.
When you send a web request to the Omegle server, your IP address is saved and several cookies placed in your browser. Your IP address is assigned to only your computer at a particular time by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). This makes it highly effective at identifying you since law enforcement agencies can approach your ISP and look at your KYC data to get to you.
Personalized Data Collected by Omegle
Your IP address and cookies are not the only data collected by Omegle. Let take a look at some of the personalized data collected by Omegle. Below are what Omegle know about you.
Location: Your IP reveal your location to Omegle. But not your actual location though, the best they get to know is your country and city. Only law enforcement agencies can take it further.
Your Browser History: This is shocking right? Well, being a so-called “anonymous social media network,” it has to use all tiny pieces of information to solve the puzzle of identifying you. And your browser history and search history are some of the details they use to identify and track you.
Your Browser: Aside from your IP address, your browser is the next thing Omegle keep a tab on. And they do so by placing numerous cookies in it. While these cookies help improve user experience, they are also used as unique identifiers for your browsers.
Omegle uses this information to:
- Prevent users from creating multiple accounts: Omegle can use your IP address and browser fingerprint to prevent you from creating multiple accounts. This is because your IP address and browser fingerprint are unique to you.
- Comply with law enforcement requests: Omegle may be required to share your IP address and browser fingerprint with law enforcement if they are investigating a crime.
- Target users with ads: Omegle may share your IP address and browser fingerprint with third-party advertisers. This allows advertisers to track your browsing activity on Omegle and target you with ads based on your interests.
Does Omegle Save Chat?
If you want to know if Omegle keep your conversations on their platform, then yes, Omegle saves chats. However, these aren’t saved in text format. At the end of each chat, a screenshot of the conversation is taken by an automated system and stored on the Omegle server for spam purposes.
It is also important you know that Omegle take screenshots of your video chat which basically works on a P2P basis for spam and dispute purposes. You can also use the Save Chatlog feature to intentionally save your chat at the end of a conversation and get a URL for the chat. Users you chat with can also do same.
Can People Track You on Omegle?
Yes, you can be tracked by people to an extent on Omegle. Generally, Omegle does not provide any identifiable personal information on it interface for those you chat with. Users you chat with only get to know what you tell them. However, there’s a catch.
The Omegle video chat feature is a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) service. This means that your IP address is made available to the other user. Even though this is not handed over to them, they could use some tools to detect it on their own.
Some users can trick you out of the Omegle chat site to another website where they get your IP address. Using your IP address, they can find out your geolocation. But do not freak out yet; they will only get to know your country and city. However, your IP address in the hands of malicious users can be used to shut down your Internet access. Here’s what happens if someone get your IP address on Omegle.
Does Omegle Report to Police?
Yes, Omegle is compliant with law enforcement agencies such as the police. Usually, all you get is a ban from the platform. However, this is useless as it can be bypassed, helping you to get unbanned from Omegle. In extreme cases of abuse, Omegle will report you to the police.
It is also important you that Omegle is ever ready to hand over your details and chats to police and other law enforcement agencies when they make requests. With just your IP address, you can be apprehended. So let no one deceive you, you’re not anonymous on the Omegle platform.
How to Avoid Omegle Tracking
The problem with Omegle is that tracking is not done by Omegle alone. Aside from Omegle, other users can trick and track you by taking you off platform to another site or use some network tools to get your IP address in the case of video chat that is P2P. Third-party services that Omegle utilize such as Google Analytics, Google Translate, Cloudflare, and other services also track you.
To prevent Omegle tracking, you’ll need to constantly clear your browser cookies and mask your IP address. For IP address masking, I recommend you make use of a high quality VPN software that can evade detection. Currently, NordVPN is our favoured provider.
- Use a VPN: A VPN encrypts your traffic and routes it through a server in another location. This makes it difficult for Omegle to track your IP address.
- Use a private browsing mode: Private browsing mode prevents Omegle from collecting your browser fingerprint.
- Use a third-party chat app: There are many third-party chat apps that do not track their users. These apps are a good option if you are concerned about your privacy.
Conclusion
From the above, you can tell that Omegle does track you. And they do so using your IP address and cookies placed in your browser. Fortunately for you, you can easily evade Omegle tracking by clearing browser cookies and using a VPN.
