I believe you have already heard of xchatroulettex, the new video chat platform that has attracted the attention of millions (in by Month there were 30 million unique visitors to the site, that's one million new users each day). The site made quite a buzz on the news media, blogs , and Twitter. Comscore reports one million US visitors in Month with a dominance of 18-24 year old .
More info:
The platform looks premature (it might be part of its charm) as it comes with one feature only -the "next" (by clicking next you are skipping from one user to another). The next feature is vital as it gives the user a sense of control. I would even consider naming the hype around its users the "next generation". What a powerful (yet dangerous) tool that can be for people who seek to experience the control they lack in their personal life. The "Next Effect" is well embedded in the whole Chatroulette random experiment.
What social needs such a platform serves?
We are all well familiar with the above needs: Peeking into strangers' lives- is what brought popularity to the reality TV shows. We humans receive instant gratification from the arousing feeling that we are allowed inside private personal places. Face to face interactions are certainly not new experiences on the web. But they are getting into extreme when you personally encounter strangers in their natural surroundings.
The future of random interactions:
I can think of several ways making these interactions more intriguing mobile interactions on the move (following people wherever they go) would definitely be hot, as well as the option to filter the people you meet by their location, age or gender..