Safety precautions for escorts should not just be reserved for physical sessions with clients, but should also be used for your online services, like webcamming; doing so will help to protect you from cyber criminals or dangerous individuals.
Although the majority of escort bookings go without incident, technology can generate some additional safety risks for online sex workers.
Between 2015 and 2017, Beyond the Gaze conducted a research study on online sex work which revealed 80.8% of respondents faced at least one form of crime in the last five years; the predominant occurrences involved high levels of online harassment, non-payment and verbal abuse.
Here are some safety tips to provide you with optimum safeguarding when adult webcamming.
Hide personal information
When live streaming, make sure confidential documentation or anything that reveals personal information such as bank statements, bills and ID cards that reveal your name and address are out of frame from the webcam.
If you’re filming by a window where outside is in view, check that there aren’t any road names, iconic or unique places visible that could potentially reveal your location.
Keeping information like this hidden can protect you from clients who overstep boundaries and invade personal space, so perform in a location that is discreet and private.
Disable your webcam after sessions
According to some cyber crime reports, webcam hackings have had success, so it’s good practice to disable your cam after every session to prevent spying.
In 2018, The Guardian reported that 17 million Brits were victims of cybercrime including phishing, ransomware, online fraud and hacking.
If you have a desktop and are using an external webcam, unplugging it when you’re not using it can keep you safe from snooping.
For laptops, internal webcams can be covered up with dark tape or you can purchase a webcam cover that slides to open or close.
However, always double check with a webcam recording app that your covering solution is opaque and can not be seen through – or, better yet, you can shut your laptop when not in use.
New webcams also tend to have an indicator light to show that they’re on, so make sure this is turned off when not being used.
If the light randomly appears, then it’s possible that your webcam has been hacked, but be aware that some hackers can sometimes disable the light too.
Secure your Wi-Fi
Hackers are able to target your home wireless router to gain access to your network, which can give them access to personal things like emails, bank accounts, and webcam.
Ensure that you always review and understand your security options to guarantee your router is access-free and change default passwords for your Wi-Fi and webcam.
We advise creating a unique name and strong password for your router in its security settings, as well as a VPN encryption that can protect sensitive data, keep your IP address hidden so they cannot pinpoint your device and hack your webcam.
Avoid using a name and password that can be easily associated with you or your webcam persona, such as your real name or the one you use for your adult cam ads.
If you’re using a public Wi-Fi network be extra careful, as cybercriminals often target these free hotspots. Therefore, try to use your own personal Wi-Fi if possible.
Avoid clicking on random links and attachments
We understand that during webcam sessions sometimes sex workers engage with their clients through message chat.
If a client randomly sends you a link, be extremely cautious with opening it, as it could be a way for cyber criminals to access your PC and your webcam, or it could link to a criminal site, no matter how legitimate it looks.
You can use a URL expander or hover your mouse over the link to check where the link is directing you to see if it is a legitimate site.
However, if in doubt, avoid opening it and let your client know you do not open links for security reasons.
Be wary of shortened links and QR codes, and having the latest security updates along with up to date virus and malware scanning software can help.
Beware of bullying and threatening behaviour
If you experience any harassment, blackmail, threatening behaviour or feeling pressured into doing anything you do not feel comfortable with, stop the session immediately.
According to the Beyond the Gaze study, 36.3% of participants faced threatening behaviour in the last 12 months, including threats to post sex workers personal details online and expose their sex work.
Your safety is more important than worrying about bad reviews or a negative reputation, so make sure you do not comply with any instructions that could potentially put you at risk.
Be careful of information sharing
Engaging with clients is crucial to providing a great service on an adult webcam, but it is important to be mindful of information you choose to share.
It can be easy to get caught up in an engaging conversation, confide in clients that appear trustworthy, and let your guard down.
To ensure that you are safe, you must avoid revealing important or confidential information about yourself, such as your full name, address, bank details, work location, the name of your child’s school if you’re a parent, or places that you hang out.
Try to avoid any questions being asked of you that encourage detailed sharing of personal information.
Either let clients know you are not willing to reveal such information, or fabricate it if you feel it will affect the quality of their webcam session.
Supervise children and young family members on webcam
The rise of technology has seen younger generations more tech-savvy and interested in electronic devices more than ever.
If you have or are among young children, there’s no doubt that they have or have tried to play on your PC.
It would be best not to allow children to access your webcam, but if they do, it is important that they are closely monitored and supervised while carrying out activity on a computer, as they may end up on risky sites, or if using it, forget to turn off the webcam.
It is your responsibility to close down any adult programmes that are running or you have been using, and to clear your web history so they cannot access these platforms, and in the worst case scenario, end up on a webcam with a stranger.
Trust your gut instinct
Believe it or not, gut instinct or intuition plays a huge role in webcam safety.
It is your immediate feeling or understanding of a situation and listening to it that can help you avoid putting yourself at risk.
If you sense anything dodgy or suspicious about a client or feel uncomfortable to carry out the session, do not continue.
You can find an excuse to cancel the session such as an unexpected emergency, and have the client refunded.
Make a record of the client’s details so you can avoid meeting up online with them again.
If you feel unsafe during adult webcam services
In the UK, online escorting is the largest sector in the sex industry, so it is crucial that you take your safety on webcam seriously.
If you are being harassed, think somebody is spying on you, or have received any abuse, contact the police immediately so this issue can be resolved as soon as possible.
Below are a list of sex-work support companies with resources that provide help, advice and support on keeping safe online as a sex worker:
If you’re looking for more advice or support, here is a list of the best resources in the UK for sex workers.
