How To Deal With Stream Ripping Sites (Like Recurbate)

Seen one of your supposedly live shows on a stream ripping site? 

Join the club. It's almost a rite of passage at this point — well done, you've been camming long enough to attract digital pirates! 

Sarcasm aside, stream ripping sites are a real blow to your business and mental health. There's nothing worse than finding out somebody has unknowingly recorded your live-only performance. And even though the most infamous website, Recurbate, has been shut down since late last year, there remains thousands of others that could become just as awful.

So, what can you do? 

The answer is far more convoluted than you'd probably like.

The Harsh Reality of Camming: Leakers Gonna Leak

In a forum entitled Reality Check on AmberCutie, VIP AmberLander Bawksy had this to say:

"Models. You need to realize this right now. ANY time you put something on the internet, it is there FOREVER. It can never be eliminated, and eventually, it will be found by someone who you'd rather not find it. You may not like it when members record your shows and upload them to different places on the internet, and you can try hard to get those images taken down. Sometimes, you may find that you're successful. But the truth is, once it's out there, it's impossible to fully retract."

It's hard to argue with this sentiment. 

Whether you grew up in the digital age or not, we've all heard some version of the, "Once you post something on the internet, it's there forever," line. And this holds true in the camming world.

That said, your live shows are not public property. You have every right to be annoyed, frustrated, hurt, disappointed, or all the above when you find illegitimate recordings of yourself.

How to Protect Your Shows from Stream Ripping Sites

Don't panic; it isn't all doom and gloom. 

As many models will tell you, there are a few tactics you can employ to protect your shows from being screen recorded and posted elsewhere without your consent. After all, the saying, "Prevention is better than cure," exists for a reason!

Don't Get Too Spicy in Public Shows

Brit, a cam model posting on AmberCutie's Forums, agrees with Bawksy, but came in hot with several suggestions to keep your content protected — not getting too spicy in public shows being one of them.

Let's be honest: people aren't pirating your selfies (unless they're trying to catfish someone, but that's a topic for another time). They're pirating the explicit stuff. Whether that's nude photographs or recordings of your sexual live-only shows, it's the truly adult content that's doing the rounds.

So, in Brit's words, "Limit spicier content to ticket shows or privates." It won't necessarily stop people from recording you, but it will certainly eliminate bots. Plus, people who are willing to splash their cash on your raunchiness are generally there for your interactions, not impersonal videos.

We've already discussed the pros and cons of private vs public shows. Most models are acutely aware that it's a fine line between attracting a large audience and putting your best self out there for free.

This is a balance that every performer has to weigh up before going live.

Block Specific Countries

Some countries have lenient piracy laws, letting people stream rip your content without much (or any) backlash. Thus, several cam models say blocking these countries can limit the likelihood of seeing your content on other sites.

But Brit brings up another good point, "People can just use a VPN."

Virtual private networks (VPNs) let you digitally "travel" to another country, allowing access to otherwise-blocked content. And it's safe to say that people who want to pirate your content know about them. It's 2024, after all.

That said, blocking countries with less stringent piracy laws can provide some relief. They'll probably find a way around it, but there's no harm in putting an obstacle or two in their path.

Focus on Private-Based (PPM) Cam Sites

Token sites, like Chaturbate or MyFreeCams, rely heavily on free shows. They have the option for private viewings, but free performances are their bread and butter. Typically, they're goal-based — after earning X tokens, you strip/dance/flash/another activity.

You can earn big cash from the tipping format, but it all depends on the size (and generosity) of the audience you attract. 

PPM (pay-per-minute) sites, however, are focused on one-to-one interactions. They might offer free shows, but they're usually tame (and clothed), teasing watchers until they're excited enough to see the full show. Most of the higher-end sites like LiveJasmin or Streamate impose a rule that you can't be naked in free chat — the real fun happens privately.

By sticking to the latter, you prevent any random anon from seeing or recording you nude. And since we've established that people aren't generally leaking fully clothed pictures, it's an effective way of reducing your exposure.

Use Watermarks

A watermark is a method for protecting your digital assets. In this case, your assets, if you catch our drift.

Simply place a transparent, monochromatic image or text over your content and you're good to go. People can still view your goods, but they won't be able to use it as their own.

It's a double-edged sword, though. These days, watermarks can be easily blurred, cropped, or removed entirely. It isn't the most foolproof tactic, particularly if you're a large creator. Not to mention it can be time-consuming.

Still, it doesn't hurt to try.

Understand US Copyright Law

As soon as you turn on the camera or capture a photo, you automatically become the copyright holder, unless you sign a release form. So, you don't need to include a watermark to legally own the copyright.

But what does this actually mean? Well, it gives you the right to request the removal of your content through the DMCA or Digital Millennium Copyright Act. As Melrose Michaels rightly states, "It's important to know you rights as a content creator and take action when necessary to protect your work."

Use Content Monitoring Services

Consider this your secret weapon. Most models swear by ModelProtection — it's expensive, but may save you wads of cash in the long run. Services like this offer manual searches, 24/7 leak locating, and unlimited takedowns if your videos are spotted. 

Peace of mind at its finest!

The Hard Part: Prevention is Foolproof

With all that prevention in place, you might think you're safe from digital pirates. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. You certainly reduce the chances of finding leaked videos, but you don't stop it entirely.

So, what do you do when you discover a ripped video? Initiate a DMCA request.

If you're using ModelProtection or another content monitoring service, you don't have to worry about manually requesting takedowns. Any provider worth their salt offers automated reporting. They even include social media removal.

But don't stress if you aren't using such services. You can manually request DMCA takedowns. Simply send an email to the website owner with this information:

• Infringing URL
• Source
• Ownership description

Don't feel like doing it yourself? Provided you have the cash, you can hire a DMCA agency. They send takedown and Google delisting requests in just a matter of clicks. You'll gain increased protection this way, too.

Believe It or Not, There Are Some Silver Linings to Leaks

Every cloud has a silver lining, and there are a few models who put a positive twist on leaked content. You might not believe in the light at the end of the tunnel, but that doesn't mean it isn't there.

Even when DMCA takedown requests fail, you can lean into Carmita Bonita's perspective:

"It's the interaction that's exciting and what gets members to spend. Otherwise, no one would be on cam sites at all. I find most recorded shows of myself to be super low quality and boring. The people who flock to recordings over cam sites weren't looking to spend anyway. I've had people see me on a tube site and enthusiastically tip/do shows with me. I feel like the damage [piracy] does is mainly people getting outed/emotional distress, [rather than] the models/sites actually losing money/customers."

She doesn't stand alone with that way of thinking, either. A Redditor with the screenname "mmmmmbb" replied to a thread on r/AskWomen stating:

"I always have pirated videos removed, but sometimes I leave recorded cam shows up. They're essentially free advertisement. If I like the video, my name is in the title, and there's a link to my profile it's fine with me. If not, I send a removal request or DMCA request. It all comes down to what's good for business."

Free advertisement — now that's definitely a silver lining. 

Whether you agree or not, these ladies' perspectives might help alleviate some emotional and mental stress while you attempt to eradicate the recording.

Keep Reporting and Share the Preventative Love

Regardless of which perspective you take, you're more than equipped to tackle those pesky stream ripping sites. 

You won't always be successful when submitting DMCA takedown requests, but it's always worth trying. 

And if you've discovered any other preventive or removal techniques, don't hesitate to share — we could all do with a touch more privacy in the camming biz!

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