The internet can be a wonderful place, but it also has its dark side, and if you’re a cam model, you probably know what I’m talking about (or will soon find out): cyberbullies exist. And they often find the perfect space to exercise abuse, hiding behind anonymous usernames.
Sometimes, it can simply be an unwelcome compliment gone wrong, with creepiness in full swing, a full-on insult or everything in between. Nobody is fully prepared for these kinds of interactions, yet it is important to learn how to handle them (whether you’re live on cam or being harassed on social media) so that at least they don’t catch you off-guard.
You should always check the features that your cam platform offers regarding offensive behavior.
Try Ignoring Them at First
Many bullies who seek to insult you and leave constant negative comments really just want to see a reaction from you, so giving them the cold-shoulder is often the best solution. Remember that if you yield to the pressure, the abuser will feel satisfied and will continue the harassment. However, if you show no signs of acknowledging their words, they will lose power and confidence, and there’s a chance they might stop (and even leave the chat), so try not to give them that control over you.
If the creepy comment is coming from one of your regular customers, first you must analyze what was said, how and correct them if needed. They could have meant their words to be playful, and maybe it came out the wrong way. Since you already have trust and a closer relationship with your regular members, don’t hesitate to stop them and draw the line. They might have misinterpreted the boundaries, so a reminder about them will be helpful.
Use Your Platform’s Content and Moderation Features
You should always check the available features that your cam platform offers regarding offensive behavior. You can disable the chat for certain types of users, or mute/block a specific user from your room for a certain period of time. Sites may also provide a word filter, which filters out any messages containing banned words of your choice. All of these measures will surely help you keep your room hate-free.
Another issue that models might have to deal with is their videos being leaked to other websites because of members in their rooms making recordings. In these cases, you can report the problem to your cam platform and ask them to contact the tube site with a notice to remove it (note, that in order to be able to do this, the video might need to have the site’s watermark or logo).
Other options include being proactive by making recordings of your public shows and then selling them later as clips. If a model has such a feature enabled on a platform (like Stripchat), members can pay a rate-per-minute to record and keep the video in their profile’s private collection. This way, you can ensure that not only are recordings of your public shows kept within a particular cam site, but you can maybe even receive tokens for the privilege of a member recording you.
Share Your Feelings With People You Trust
Don’t be afraid to voice your feelings and emotions. Reach out to a friend or even a specialist. While sharing your feelings with them will not drive the problem away, it will help you deal with it and feel understood. Getting things off our chest can be really therapeutic, and can give us a clearer vision to know how act next.
Relying on your most loyal members can also be a great idea, as they always have your back. The thing with hateful words, is that they are said louder than kind ones, but don’t forget that there are more members who appreciate you and support you than members who don’t. Good people always outnumber bad people, and this is also true in your chatroom, so ask your fans to help you moderate and deal with offensive users. You will be surprised by the outpouring of support you will receive.
Sometimes though, venting about certain things with a stranger is easier than with someone from your inner circle. Given this circumstance, you can contact Pineapple Support, a free support and therapy service for everyone working in the online adult industry. They offer face-to-face as well as online video therapy sessions, 24/7.
Eva is a passionate insider with industry experience whose mission is to pave the way for performers to make money on their own terms. When she’s not writing a blog post, poking around online or networking, she is practicing yoga or doing Netflix marathons. She’s addicted to coffee, which is what keeps her going through the day. Contact her at eva@stripchat.com.
