I want to flirt, harmlessly, online. How do I do this, where do I go?

March 25, 2016 3:03 PM

I have the urge to flirt online. I don't want to do this via any real social channels, because those are all real people and I don't want to hurt any of them.

So my question is: Is there a platform for harmless flirting, messing around, just chatting with no strings attached? I thought Chatroullete might be it but it's nothing but dicks and porn ads. I want real people.

I'm in the mood to chat with someone. It doesn't have to be sexual, but I'd really like to chat with someone, and if video is a possible component, that would be even better.

So, where should I go?

posted by anonymous to Human Relations (9 answers total)

Reddit.

I'm not really up on all the various subreddits for different apps and varieties of chat but if you start at /r/r4r and dig you'll probably turn up some good leads for what you're looking for.
posted by prize bull octorok at 3:06 PM on March 25, 2016 [6 favorites]

If it's video chat, operate on the assumption that it is being recorded and might make its way online.

That said, the above /r/r4r spectrum is where I would start were I you.
posted by Candleman at 3:12 PM on March 25, 2016

Isn't this basically what Second Life is?
posted by theodolite at 3:12 PM on March 25, 2016 [6 favorites]

You might look into the concept of roleplaying - there are lots of different venues and styles, but basically you put on a bit of a role and playact all sorts of things, including relationships. It can be quite freeing if you just want a bit of titillation without any commitment. The venues I'm familiar with are all video games - Second Life, World of Warcraft, etc - but there are probably chat rooms still around. The nice thing is that no one expects *any* of it to be real, including what you say about yourself.
posted by restless_nomad at 6:26 PM on March 25, 2016 [2 favorites]

Missed connections on craigslist.
posted by Nanukthedog at 6:34 PM on March 25, 2016

Create a Tinder profile and just say what you are looking for in your description. From what I have seen there are lots of people just flirting on tinder during their lunch breaks or at work without any intention of taking things further.

I think tinder has a new feature where you can select a different city to search for people so that might scratch an itch too.
posted by jpziller at 4:40 AM on March 26, 2016

There seem to be a lot of people on OkCupid just for this very purpose, though they don't say so explicitly. You could mention that this is what you are after in your profile and I bet lots of likeminded people will come running.
posted by intensitymultiply at 7:07 AM on March 26, 2016 [2 favorites]

I've found that Craigslist's Strictly Platonic isn't necessarily what it claims to be. Make a post and see who responds!
posted by jabes at 8:49 AM on March 26, 2016

OkCupid or Craig's list; just state your desire explicitly in your ad/profile. There should be plenty of takers, esp.if you are a woman (I've done something somewhat similar and had no shortage of replies)
posted by bearette at 9:20 AM on March 26, 2016