Voice chat

Voice chat refers to services that allow people to talk in real time to one another over the internet. These could be online calling services, audio conferencing services used by individuals or businesses, or specialist apps used by online gamers. ‘Voice’ and ‘chat’ may seem redundant as both terms mean to speak. However, voice is used to signify a verbal chat, rather than the short bursts of text used in messaging and online chat. 

What are the benefits?

• Stay in touch with friends and family 
  Many services are free to use and allow you to make international calls, so you can stay in touch with friends and family around the world.
• Be part of a gaming team 
  You can team up with other gamers and voice chat as you go into combat together or explore new worlds.
• Talk to colleagues
  You can join an online conference call with your colleagues in Sydney, Melbourne or London, or talk to someone in the next room.

What are the risks?

• Cyberbullying and online abuse
  Not everyone is respectful online — there is a risk that you could be cyberbullied or abused while using voice chat services.
• Online scams and identity theft
  People can use tactics to get you to reveal your personal information in order to scam or extort money from you.
• Unwanted contact or contact from strangers 
  Depending on the service, you could receive unwanted calls or calls from people you do not know.

You can view voice chat services in the eSafety guide.