Keeping your mental health in check in an industry that is constantly under attack can be very challenging. It can be even more difficult when you, specifically, are targeted by piracy. Having your content re-uploaded and spread without your consent is a violation that can affect you in so many ways. It’s important to find solutions and ways to cope so you can continue to thrive and create.
One of the major issues I face when my work is stolen is that I become very demotivated; I don’t want to create new content. I feel like I’ve wasted my time, energy, money and resources. In those moments, I regret buying new outfits, upgrading my equipment and learning new editing strategies. While I love the exclusivity of selling clips, because it’s fun and sexy when it’s “for your eyes only,” when I see it floating around, it feels less intimate and special.
Piracy can be incredibly gutting when you are struggling to make sales that you need to pay your bills.
One way that I try to combat these feelings of demotivation is by reminding myself that there is one thing a pirate doesn’t have, and that’s my next idea. No matter what, I’m always one step ahead, and they are left playing catch-up. Also, I make sure to have a comprehensive and proactive approach to protecting my content, for extra peace of mind.
USE PRIVACY AND DATA RESTRICTION SITE FEATURES
When uploading and posting content online, almost every site or platform allows you to set some restrictions, such as whether your account is private or if you place geographical restrictions so certain areas cannot access your content. Such features are very important to me, because they help keep my content off the feeds of my friends and family out of courtesy, and out of the eyes of my local communities, as it could create some risk for my and my family's safety, and lead to harassment and stalking.
I work hard to keep my personal social media and work accounts separate, and while I am fortunate to be out as a sex worker with a lot of support from my friends and family, this isn’t the case for everyone. Discovering your leaked video, when you have fears of people you know finding it, can give you crippling anxiety. Feeling like someone whom you don’t like or who doesn’t like you might be watching and making fun, can make you feel embarrassed and vulnerable.
DEVISE A STRONG DMCA TAKEDOWN PLAN
The most effective way to fight piracy is to have a DMCA takedown plan. You can do this manually by creating a formal template to send to different websites and platforms, or pay for a service that handles copyright infringements; this type of protection will help you sleep better.
People get into adult work for many reasons, and no matter what your reason is for monetizing your content, when you find a stolen video and see the number of views it has, and you compare that to how much you are selling and making off of your video, your head might spin.
CLEARLY WATERMARK YOUR CONTENT
Piracy can be incredibly gutting when you are struggling to make sales that you need to pay your bills, or if you are saving up for a house, or paying off school or a loan. You should be compensated for your work. One way I’m able to get past this is to make sure that if my content is out there, my name is on it somewhere. I might as well use potential piracy as an opportunity to get some free promotion on a platform people may not be seeing me on, by either watermarking my photos or having my logo clearly visible on videos.
CAUTION IS GREAT, PARANOIA NOT SO MUCH
Another hard obstacle for me is that piracy impacts my trust in others, and that weighs on me heavily. I feel so sad and betrayed, because in my eyes, I’m inviting someone into my intimate space, and then they disrespect me. I get into a bad habit of second-guessing everyone who messages me, in fear of their intentions, and that’s just not fair to my real devoted fans.
I remind myself not to punish the group for the bad actions of a few. I strive to make sure that the ones actively showing me support feel valued and appreciated, and in return they make me feel the same way; some even help me search for my leaked videos so that we can work together on getting them down.
I am happy to say that for the first time in the last nine years of being in the industry, I’m finally feeling in control of my piracy issues, and because of that, I’m finding it much easier to cope with the things I’ve been struggling with regarding this topic. I look forward to empowering other performers in their fight against piracy to make a difference in our community.
Destiny Diaz is a content creator and brand ambassador for BranditScan, whose clips can be seen on OnlyFans.com/ddestiny_diaz and DestinyDiaz.ManyVids.com. Follow her @DDestiny_Diaz on Twitter and @ddestiny_diaz on Instagram.
