Webcam models are being used by studios and online forums, according to a new report

A new report by Human Rights Watch documents the continued exploitation of webcam models abroad, many of which operate on popular sites such as Chaturbate and are shared by millions around the world – but are not protected by the platform’s Terms of Service or majors. labor movement.

Extensive documentation of webcam studio conditions in Colombia, a report by an international human rights group reveals an increasingly abusive environment among webcam studios hosted in cities such as Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, and Palmira. The agency spoke with 55 studio-based webcams, Colombian authorities, US State Department officials and anti-trafficking experts.

Many of the models cited by Human Rights Watch and organizations led by Colombian sex workers La Liga de Salud Trans and Corporación Calle 7 Colombia also recounted being forced into “dirty” and physical working conditions under constant surveillance, for up to 24 hours. Another telling is that they never read or signed the Terms of Service of the platforms their content appeared on, and their accounts are created and moderated by the studios – guidelines that could give them more insight into wage theft and sexual exploitation. For example, several of the webcam platforms offer protection for models to take breaks during live cam shifts. Studios are reportedly pressuring models to stay online longer, using the threat of paid booths and reduced traffic.

Colombia has legalized sex work – a policy position that has worldwide support among prostitutes, workers, and human rights activists – and all the models interviewed had accepted their work, yet adult content platforms, especially those in the webcam industry, continue to infiltrate. control cracks and threaten the safety of models. “Prostitutes deserve the same labor protections as all workers under international human rights law, but the multibillion-dollar webcam industry has largely avoided scrutiny for abuses in its chains,” writes author and Human Rights Watch researcher Erin Kilbride. “Sexual exploitation is not natural in webcam production, but our research shows that the risk of exploitation in Colombian studios is very high.”

Labor violations among webcam studio operators who supervise adult content models are well documented. While streaming platforms take anywhere from 50 to 65 percent of a model’s salary, Human Rights Watch explains, studios like the one in Colombia keep about 70 percent of the platform’s fees, reducing the model’s salary to minuscule numbers. In addition, many studios retain ownership of models’ accounts, forcing them to stay with the studio or risk losing their fans and living wages. The organization reports that this is also a way for studios to avoid credentialing programs that keep children off the platform.

“Webcamming exists at the intersection of women’s work, sex work discrimination, the informal economy, and the platform-mediated gig-economy. This combination makes it a breeding ground for many forms of labor exploitation,” explained Human Rights Watch in report. “Adult webcam platforms remain largely immune from accusations of directly participating in and allowing the exploitation of webcam operators.”