What Was ooVoo? The Video Chat App, Its Shutdown and Safer Options for Kids

If you had a tween around 2013 to 2016, there is a good chance they asked to use ooVoo. It was a free video chat app that let groups of friends see each other on screen at the same time, years before group video calls became normal for everyone. Then, in late 2017, it simply disappeared. Here is what ooVoo was, why parents were cautious about it, and what to think about with the video chat apps kids use today.

What ooVoo was

ooVoo was a messaging, voice and video calling service that ran on computers, phones and tablets, including iPod touch and iPad, which mattered a lot to kids who did not have phones yet. Its standout feature was group video: up to 12 people could be on one call at once. For a group of middle schoolers doing homework together, or just hanging out after school, that was a big deal.

The app was free, and accounts were based on a username rather than a phone number, so any device with Wi-Fi could join.

Why parents were cautious

ooVoo itself was not designed for adults to find kids, but several features made it risky for young users:

• Open contact settings. By default, people could find and contact a user through the app. There was a privacy setting to limit contact to people who already knew your email or ooVoo ID, but many kids never changed it.
• Usernames shared publicly. Kids often posted their ooVoo ID on Instagram profiles or in comments, which invited contact from strangers.
• Live video. Unlike text, live video cannot be filtered or checked by a moderator in real time.
• No real age checks. Signing up took little more than a username, so younger kids could join as easily as teens.

For those reasons, ooVoo regularly turned up in school and community safety talks as an app for parents to know about.

What happened to ooVoo

On November 25, 2017, ooVoo announced on Twitter that it was shutting down, citing a lack of profit. Its parent company had already been working on other video products, including a staring-contest game called Flinch that used the same video technology. The service went dark, and it has not returned.

You may still see websites offering an "ooVoo download". Treat those with suspicion. They are not the original service, and downloading software from unknown sites is a common route for malware.

Where kids video chat now

The group video chat habit that ooVoo helped start is now everywhere. Most kids use one of these:

• FaceTime on Apple devices, including Group FaceTime.
• Snapchat, Instagram and WhatsApp, which all have built-in video calling.
• Discord, popular with gamers, which supports voice and video in servers and direct messages.
• Messenger Kids, Meta's app for younger children, where parents approve every contact.
• Video calls inside games, or voice chat in games like Roblox and Fortnite.

Each one handles contacts differently, and that is the setting that matters most.

How to make video chat safer in 2026

The core risk of ooVoo, video contact with someone your child doesn't know, applies to every app on that list. These steps cover most of it.

1. Limit who can call. On iPhone and iPad, Screen Time's Communication Limits let you restrict calls and FaceTime to people in your child's contacts, and you can manage those contacts yourself. On Snapchat, the default is that only friends can contact a teen; check that it has not been changed. On Instagram Teen Accounts, only people a teen follows or is connected to can message them.
2. Keep usernames private. Explain why posting a username, phone number or contact handle publicly invites strangers.
3. Turn off "find me" features. Many apps suggest your child to strangers based on contacts or mutual friends. On Snapchat, review Find Friends and Quick Add settings; on other apps, look for similar discoverability options.
4. Video chat in shared spaces. For younger kids, a simple rule that video calls happen in the kitchen or living room, not the bedroom, cuts down a lot of risk.
5. Talk about what to do. If someone on a call asks them to move somewhere private, take off clothes, keep a secret or switch to a different app, they should end the call and tell you. Our guide to sextortion explains why that last request is a warning sign.

Choosing an app for a younger child

If your child is under 13 and wants to video chat with friends and family, choose an option where you control the contact list. Messenger Kids lets parents approve every contact. FaceTime on a child's Apple Account, combined with Communication Limits in Screen Time, keeps calls to people you've added. Avoid apps where your child can be found by username or where strangers can start a call. For a broader look at messaging apps, see our guide on whether Kik is okay for kids.

The bottom line

ooVoo is gone, but its lessons apply to every video app your child might use. Use this checklist:

• Know which apps on your child's device can make video calls.
• Restrict calls to known contacts wherever the app allows it.
• Keep usernames and contact handles off public profiles.
• Set a "calls happen in shared rooms" rule for younger kids.
• Make sure your child knows they can hang up and tell you, with no punishment.