Introduction to Camming
Introduction to Camming
Technology, Embodied Authenticity, and the Demystification of Porn
This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the historical development of the erotic webcam industry. The camming industry emerged in 1996 because of two converging social phenomena: the introduction of the Internet and the popularity of non-erotic camgirls in the United States. Additionally, the explosion of amateur pornography on the Internet has led to the demystification of porn. As a result, clients, who are disproportionately cis men, have come to value embodied authenticity and realness. The chapter examines the emergence of erotic cam sites and various technological developments that furthered the growth of the industry such as Skype, social media, smartphones, and teledildonics. The inequality generated by global capitalism means that for many people around the world, the costs associated with becoming a cam model are prohibitive and access to the technologies described in this chapter are not available. While the camming industry can thus be lauded for creating an opportunity for safe and legal sex work, this opportunity is not open to the most economically vulnerable people around the world.
Keywords: camming, camgirls, demystification of porn, technology, Internet
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