Frequently Asked Questions

General

What is IndexLobby?

IndexLobby is a free, real-time research chat room for adults (18+). You can join a public lobby, send messages to everyone, and exchange private messages with individual users. No account creation required. Messages and connection data are stored and processed in house for moderation and research.

Is there an age requirement?

Yes. You must be 18 or older. Under-18 use is not allowed. When you join you confirm your age and consent to in-house data storage and processing.

Is it free to use?

Yes, completely free. There are no accounts, subscriptions, or fees of any kind.

Do I need to sign up?

No. Just pick a username and you're in. Usernames are temporary and not tied to any account.

Usernames

How do usernames work?

Guest names are reserved for 30 seconds while your connection is established, then held for that session. You can also register to keep a username permanently so nobody else can take it, even while you're offline.

What if someone else has my username?

If a username is currently in use, you'll be asked to choose a different one. Usernames are released as soon as a user disconnects.

Can I use the same username again later?

Yes, as long as it's not taken at the time you connect. There's no concept of a "registered" username — first come, first served each session.

Messaging

What's the difference between lobby and private messages?

Lobby messages are visible to everyone in the room. Private messages go to one user, but operators can still see and store them. See the Privacy Policy.

How do I send a private message?

Click a username in the user list, type, and send. Operators can still see stored messages — see the Privacy Policy.

Are there any message limits?

To keep things fair, messages are rate-limited to roughly one per second. Sending too quickly will result in a short cooldown.

Privacy & Data

Is IndexLobby anonymous?

You don’t have to create an account, but usernames, messages, and IPs are stored. It is not anonymous — see the Privacy Policy.

Are there bots in the lobby?

Yes. IndexLobby is a research sandbox, and automated participants may join the same way humans do. They’re part of studying chat behaviour and bot detection. See How It Works.

Are messages stored?

Yes. All messages, usernames, and activity are logged for research and system analysis purposes. This data is used to study and improve detection of spam, bots, and abusive behaviour. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

How does live video / webcam work?

When enabled, webcam audio and video are relayed through IndexLobby’s media service (browser ↔ our servers), not as anonymous peer-to-peer between users. Other viewers do not get your IP over WebRTC by design. Streams may be moderated (including force-stop); viewers may record what they see. Details are in the Privacy Policy and Terms.

Who can see my messages?

Everyone in the lobby can see lobby messages. Private messages show to the other person, but we store them and operators can see them. See the Privacy Policy.

Can I delete my messages?

Message deletion is not currently available to regular users. If you have a specific concern, please contact us.

Technical

Why does the chat sometimes disconnect?

The server may briefly restart during deployments or updates. The chat will automatically attempt to reconnect — you may need to re-enter your username if that happens.

What browsers are supported?

Any modern browser with WebSocket support — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge are all supported.