Webcam model: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added
m Payment systems and earnings: Capitalization correction
OAbot (talk | contribs)
m Open access bot: url-access=subscription updated in citation with #oabot.
 
(4 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 19:
|average_salary =
}}
 
A '''webcam model''' ([[colloquially]], '''camgirl''', '''camboy''', or '''cammodel''') is a video performer who streams on the [[Internet]] with a live [[webcam]] broadcast.<ref name=Richtel>{{cite news|last1=Richtel|first1=Matt|title=Intimacy on the Web, With a Crowd|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/22/technology/intimacy-on-the-web-with-a-crowd.html|access-date=16 January 2018|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=21 September 2013|archive-date=9 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509141435/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/22/technology/intimacy-on-the-web-with-a-crowd.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A webcam model often performs erotic acts online, such as [[Striptease|stripping]], [[masturbation]], or sex acts in exchange for money, goods, or attention.<ref name="auto2">{{cite web|last=Bertrand|first=Natasha|author-link=Natasha Bertrand|date=18 November 2014|title=How Webcam Models Make Money|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-webcam-models-make-money-2014-11|access-date=30 May 2020|website=[[Business Insider]]|archive-date=8 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108115126/https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-webcam-models-make-money-2014-11|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/cam-models-tell-us-how-much-money-they-are-really-making/ |title=Cam Models Tell Us How Much Money They Are Really Making |last=Isador |first=Graham |date=8 March 2019 |website=Vice.com |publisher=Vice |access-date=30 May 2019 |quote=They were looking for people willing to strip then masturbate on webcam. |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806043133/https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/wjmbwn/cam-models-tell-us-how-much-money-they-are-really-making |url-status=live }}</ref> They may also sell videos of their performances. Once viewed as a small niche in the world of [[Sex industry|adult entertainment]], camming became "the engine of the porn industry," according to Alec Helmy, the publisher of ''[[XBIZ]]'', a sex-trade industry journal.<ref name="Song">{{cite news|last1=Song|first1=Jason|title=As L.A. porn industry struggles, 'web camming' becomes a new trend|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-porn-camming-20160803-snap-story.html|access-date=16 January 2018|work=Los Angeles Times|date=3 August 2016|archive-date=24 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124135650/http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-porn-camming-20160803-snap-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
Line 35 ⟶ 36:
 
A July 2020 survey found the average webcam model in the United States works 18 hours per week, and earns $4,470 per month. Webcam models who work full-time (40 hours per week or more) earn $11,250 per month on average. Top-earning webcam models have a self-reported income of over $312,000 annually, while bottom earners take home as little as $100 per week.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://readysetcam.com/blogs/camming-101/how-much-do-cam-girls-make |title=How Much Do Cam Girls Make? (2020 Cam Girl Salary Report) |last=Haze |first=Moon |date=30 July 2020 |website=readysetcam.com |publisher=Ready Set Cam |access-date=28 October 2020 |quote=The average webcam model earns $1,043 per week from an 18 hour work week... The top-earning cam models in the United States earn as much as $6,000 per week, while beginner cam models can earn as little as $100 per week... models who cam for 35+ hours per week typically make $2,500 per week or more. |archive-date=27 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027172640/https://readysetcam.com/blogs/camming-101/how-much-do-cam-girls-make |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
===US taxes===
In the [[United States]], webcam models are considered as [[Self-employment|self-employed]] workers, and their tax rate is 15.3% (where 12.4% is for social security and 2.9% for [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]]), plus income tax. If a webcam model earns more than $600 in a year, they are sent a [[Form 1099|1099 form]] and are required to report the income to the [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hookupguru.com/how-to-become-a-webcam-model|title=How To Become A Webcam Girl: Exhaustive Step-By-Step Guide|website=hookupguru.com|access-date=2021-03-31|archive-date=2021-03-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302072655/https://hookupguru.com/how-to-become-a-webcam-model|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
===Personal connection and interaction===
Line 62 ⟶ 60:
 
==Camming industry==
As of 2016, the money generated by camming sites was upwards of US$2 billion annually. The pornography business as a whole is estimated to be about $5 billion.<ref name=Rabouin/> According to the [[web traffic]] analysis service [[Compete.com]], [[LiveJasmin]] generates more than 9 million unique viewers a month. Similar webcam model hosting sites such as [[Chaturbate]], [[CAM4Cam4]], and [[MyFreeCams]] boast 4.1 million, 3.7 million and 2 million unique monthly visitors, respectively.<ref name=Rabouin/> Certain hosting sites such as the aforementioned Chaturbate, LiveJasmin, [[ManyVids]], and many other providers also offer payment in cryptocurrency.<ref>{{Cite web|last=intimate.io|date=2018-11-01|title=How to get paid in crypto|url=https://medium.com/@intimate/how-to-get-paid-in-crypto-81b8fcd9c0ad|access-date=2021-07-01|website=Medium|language=en|archive-date=2022-03-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331155630/https://medium.com/@intimate/how-to-get-paid-in-crypto-81b8fcd9c0ad|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
The decentralized business model of camming has upended the pornography industry in multiple ways. Camming revenue has been severely cutting into the profits of the pornographic movie business, which has also been eroded for several years by piracy and the distribution of free sexual content on the Internet.<ref name=Richtel/> The pornographic film industry used to be male-dominated, except for the performers. Since camming requires only a video camera, broadband service, and a computer, there has now been a power reversal, and female webcam performers are driving the industry.<ref name=Rachel/><ref name=Hess>{{cite news |last1=Hess |first1=Amanda |date=5 May 2018 |title=Who Gets to Be Sexy? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/05/style/porn-women-nonbinary-queer.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=7 May 2018 |archive-date=12 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181112095631/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/05/style/porn-women-nonbinary-queer.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Todd Blatt, a former pornographic movie producer, has said, "If you're the middle guy who has been eating off this industry for 20 years, it's a big change. The girls don't need anybody."<ref name=Richtel/>
Line 93 ⟶ 91:
===Social media===
 
Webcam models often rely on social media to interact with existing customers and to meet new customers. This has potential disadvantages; however, mainstream social media platforms often have poorly- defined and changing rules that sex workers can inadvertently break. Having a social media account closed for any reason{{spndash}}legitimate or otherwise{{spndash}}can severely affect a performer's ability to earn income.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://jezebel.com/i-m-hoping-it-won-t-decimate-my-income-tumblrs-porn-ba-1830879496 |title='I'm Hoping It Won't Decimate My Income': Tumblr's Porn Ban Is Yet Another Setback for Sex Workers |last=Clark-Flory |first=Tracy |date=5 December 2018 |work=Jezebel |access-date=2 May 2019 |archive-date=23 July 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200723180238/https://jezebel.com/i-m-hoping-it-won-t-decimate-my-income-tumblrs-porn-ba-1830879496 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://jezebel.com/a-trolls-alleged-attempt-to-purge-porn-performers-from-1833940198 |title=A Troll's Alleged Attempt to Purge Porn Performers from Instagram |last=Clark-Flory |first=Tracy |date=April 17, 2019 |work=Jezebel |access-date=May 2, 2019 |archive-date=May 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502081447/https://jezebel.com/a-trolls-alleged-attempt-to-purge-porn-performers-from-1833940198 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
Some cam models have non-commercial personal web blogs.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://balkan-webcam-model.com/ |title=10 Tips How To Become A Webcam Model in 2020 |website=Balkan Webcam Model |access-date=2020-04-04 |archive-date=2020-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406164611/https://balkan-webcam-model.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
===Resources for performers===
Line 112 ⟶ 108:
Due to the controversial nature of pornography, camming, like most sex work, is not considered a legitimate form of labor in most [[Developed country|developed countries]]. As a result, cam models do not receive the same benefits and rights as other employees since they are technically [[independent contractor]]s. This offers cam models some freedom not offered to other laborers but prevents them from demanding better treatment from the websites that host them. However, in-person sex work is treated more harshly since it is illegal in many Western countries, including the [[United States]]. Camming is considered slightly different, since it is considered pornography as a virtue of being filmed.<ref name=":42">{{Cite journal|last=Azhar, Dasgupta, Sinha & Karandikar|first=Sameena, Satarupa, Sunny & Sharvari|date=March 25, 2020|title=Diversity in Sex Work in India: Challenging Stereotypes Regarding Sex Workers|url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12119-020-09719-3|journal=Sexuality & Culture|volume=24|issue=6|pages=1774–1797|doi=10.1007/s12119-020-09719-3|s2cid=216299163|via=Springer Link|access-date=January 6, 2022|archive-date=January 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106234650/https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12119-020-09719-3|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
 
Regulation would be beneficial{{According to whom|date=October 2024}} to camming, since it would prevent cam models from being exploited for their labor. However, regulation could also potentially take away cam models' independence, such as sexual freedom and bodily autonomy.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Barrett-Ibarria|first=Sofia|date=2020-01-14|title=Cam girl reality: an enticing illusion leaves many models poor and defeated|url=http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jan/14/cam-girl-webcamming-porn-industry|access-date=2021-05-12|website=the Guardian|language=en|archive-date=2021-05-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513005312/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jan/14/cam-girl-webcamming-porn-industry|url-status=live}}</ref> Although in-person sex work such as prostitution can be regulated by policing the streets, online sex work is hard to regulate, due to anonymity, and risk of encroaching on content that is risqué, but not necessarily pornographic.<ref>{{Citation|last1=Sanders|first1=Teela|title=Policing Online Sex Markets|date=2017-09-19|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65630-4_5|work=Internet Sex Work|pages=121–151|place=Cham|publisher=Springer International Publishing|isbn=978-3-319-65629-8|access-date=2021-12-24|last2=Scoular|first2=Jane|last3=Campbell|first3=Rosie|last4=Pitcher|first4=Jane|last5=Cunningham|first5=Stewart|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-65630-4_5|archive-date=2023-03-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327180530/https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-65630-4_5|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In a study on sex work in [[East Java]], [[Indonesia]] where a specific district decriminalized sex work while its surround districts did not, researchers found that anti-prostitution laws decreased the use of [[condom]]s, which in effect increased the transmission of [[Sexually transmitted infection|sexually transmitted diseases]] such as [[HIV]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Cameron|first1=Lisa|last2=Seager|first2=Jennifer|last3=Shah|first3=Manisha|date=2020-09-26|title=Crimes Against Morality: Unintended Consequences of Criminalizing Sex Work*|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjaa032|journal=The Quarterly Journal of Economics|volume=136|issue=1|pages=427–469|doi=10.1093/qje/qjaa032|issn=0033-5533|access-date=2022-01-06|archive-date=2023-03-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327180451/https://academic.oup.com/qje/article-abstract/136/1/427/5912394?redirectedFrom=fulltext|url-status=live|hdl=10419/227311|hdl-access=free|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
 
==== China ====