[Kaytti]

Did anyone else see the report yesterday by Channel 4 on Habbo Hotel?

I used to play on it years ago. I logged on about a year ago out of curiosity and was shocked. There are strip clubs, people pestering me for cyber sex and avatars stripping for each other.

When I used to play I was aware of rude behaviour, but not on this scale. Is anyone else shocked by this? That children as young as 6 can play on Habbo and be subjected to this? Or am I just being little over-the-top?

I'd like to hear what you think.

Link to report:
http://www.channel4.com/news/stripte...at-habbo-hotel

Ok, looking at what you guys wrote.
Yes, it's impractical to monitor all messages. However, the top two rooms (visible to like everyone) were strip clubs. Are the mods freakin' blind?
And you can sign up at practically any age, my sister managed it when she was 7.

[MacDaddi]

Just fun until paedophiles took advantage of it. It is pretty sick

Much like Chatroulette.

[*Boofle*]

I used to play it when I was 13-14 and it was like that to an extent, but I don't remember it being as bad as that report says. Mostly just kids messing about and people trying to get accepted into the modelling agency (only pony tails, vest tops and skirts allowed!) or the army

The biggest danger was me wasting all my phone credit buying furniture It was bobba ridiculous.

[ilovetosleep]

cyber sex and avatar strip clubs? what's not to love?

no but... what? i haven't ever been on that site, but i remember moki town from when i was about 10. all i can remember is people saying 'TYPE 123 IF YOU WANT A BOYFRIEND'

[G8D]

Habbo Hotel was never a children's site

I used to use it quite a lot when I was younger and it's always been like this.
Over reacting.

[Kaytti]

(Original post by ilovetosleep)
cyber sex and avatar strip clubs? what's not to love?

no but... what? i haven't ever been on that site, but i remember moki town from when i was about 10. all i can remember is people saying 'TYPE 123 IF YOU WANT A BOYFRIEND'

That's what Habbo used to be like. Now it's 'you got skype?' 'want to cyber?'. Sickening. I think one of the investigators described Habbo as a 'brothel'.

[Funtry]

6?! I remember waiting for my 11th birthday so my parents would let me sign up (we only had one computer at the time and I had no concept of history deletion), and if I remember rightly the "official" age of signing up was 13? Seriously, 6? Wow.

[velvetbrain]

Bobba.

[Lord-Voldemort]

Sorry, but how are they supposed to moderate every single conversation? It's impractical.

All chat websites which attract a younger audience will suffer from this issue. The chat websites can only go so far - it's the parents that must monitor their children's online activity.

[Lord-Voldemort]

(Original post by velvetbrain)
Bobba.

Reporting you to a Hobba.

[Aphotic Cosmos]

Pool's been closed for years.

[Martyn*]

What I want to know is: why the site isn't moderated/monitored 24/7?

[sconter]

(Original post by Aphotic Cosmos)
Pool's been closed for years.

does it still have aids?

[Kaytti]

(Original post by Martyn*)
What I want to know is: why the site isn't moderated/monitored 24/7?

It apparently is.

[internetguru]

It has always been like that.

[Add!ction]

Same with second life, you get whole worlds dedicated to sex.

[Cll_ws]

All I ever used to do on it was irritate people. I can imagine I was unbelievably annoying
Going into other rooms and standing in the way of their bed so they couldn't get to it. Standing right next to 2 people using the whisper option trying to have a "private" chat, until they got annoyed and moved, at which point I would follow.

I also remember dressing up in a suit and sunglasses and convincing people that I was some sort of moderator so that they would let me into their locked rooms, and then I wouldn't leave.

Oh those were the days People were so strange on that site.

[gozatron]

I remember cybering going on way back when i first started playing Habbo. 04/05 ish so nothings changed. C4 desperate for a story methinks. In retrospect so much ****ing money wasted on "credits".

[muaythaigal]

(Original post by Cll_ws)
All I ever used to do on it was irritate people. I can imagine I was unbelievably annoying
Going into other rooms and standing in the way of their bed so they couldn't get to it. Standing right next to 2 people using the whisper option trying to have a "private" chat, until they got annoyed and moved, at which point I would follow.

I also remember dressing up in a suit and sunglasses and convincing people that I was some sort of moderator so that they would let me into their locked rooms, and then I wouldn't leave.

Oh those were the days People were so strange on that site.

I used to do the same...hahaha!

[besarlalluvia]

Cybersex was one of the first things I did on Habbo. Needless to say, that account was banned.

Aha, there was also someone who said he do..things to my nipples. I was 11 and horrified.

The worst thing that ever happened in Habbo was when they took away the yellow console. I was fuming.