Here are some of the best platforms with the same features that made chat rooms great (with added functionality for the modern era.)
Discord
Discord is the best platform to make new friends that share common interests. Although Discord started as a place for gamers, it's evolved to include all sorts of interest groups. Users can join ‘servers' (rooms) about finance, gaming, arts, language, anime, and much more.
Discord is designed for real-time chat, just as the legacy chat rooms were, but it comes with new moderation tools.
Server owners can deploy a moderation bot such as MEE6 to automatically delete messages with inappropriate language (so a real person doesn't have to actively moderate). Automatic moderation ensures a safe, productive conversation for everyone.
Users can set different nicknames for each server, protecting their privacy across chat groups. Discord also leverages video so server admins can create rooms for members to watch videos, play games, or chat.