Proximity chat or spatial chat or positional chat is type of internet platform that overlays

video teleconferencing Videotelephony (also known as videoconferencing or video calling) is the use of audio signal, audio and video for simultaneous two-way communication. Today, videotelephony is widespread. There are many terms to refer to videotelephony. ''Vide ...

software on a

virtual world A virtual world (also called a virtual space or spaces) is a Computer simulation, computer-simulated environment which may be populated by many simultaneous users who can create a personal Avatar (computing), avatar and independently explore th ...

environment, so that users can navigate freely and have conversations among small groups. A distribution of small groups across a virtual world map can be more informal than a

many-to-many Many-to-many communication occurs when information is shared between groups. Members of a group receive information from multiple senders. Wikis are a type of many-to-many communication, where multiple editors collaborate to create content that is ...

session, and to some extent this format is a functional replacement for breakout rooms. Some of the platforms employ a

retrogaming Retro gaming, also known as classic gaming and old school gaming, is the playing and collection of computer game, personal computers, video game console, consoles, and video games from earlier decades. Usually, retro gaming is based upon syste ...

aesthetic similar to a 2D

overworld An overworld or a hub world is, in a broad sense, an area within a video game that interconnects all its levels or locations. They are mostly common in role-playing games, though this does not exclude other video game genres, such as some pla ...

, while others work from a blank virtual world or one built up of a

collage Collage (, from the , "to glue" or "to stick together") is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an assembly of different forms, thus creating a new whole. (Compare with pasti ...

of photos placed by the user. Proximity chat has been featured in many

multiplayer video game A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...

s. One popular software for implementing this functionality in games without built-in proximity chat is Mumble. In 2021, the children's game platform ''

Roblox Roblox (, ) is an online game platform and game creation system developed by Roblox Corporation that allows users to program and play games created by themselves or other users. It was created by David Baszucki and Erik Cassel in 200 ...

'' introduced a proximity chat feature for verified users over the age of 13. This feature prompted complaints by privacy advocates, since verification involves submitting a selfie and government issued ID to the company, which has a prior history of

data leak A data breach, also known as data leakage, is "the unauthorized exposure, disclosure, or loss of personal information". Attackers have a variety of motives, from financial gain to political activism, political repression, and espionage. There a ...

s. Users have also expressed skepticism that the verification system has properly excluded younger users. Users and the parents of users have also complained, as inappropriate content such as slurs, sexual content, and illegal conduct such as drug deals have been documented as being audible on the platform.

References

Virtual events Virtual world communities Web conferencing Video game terminology {{Internet-stub

See also

References