Broadcasting In Public: What Cam Models Need To Know

If you know much about the history of camming, you'll have heard of people like Library Girl (although whether that title belongs to Ginger Banks or Kendra Sunderland is another matter...)

Camming from public places like libraries, beaches and parks has always been a way to add spice to a stream. It triggers that same thrill of being caught as masturbating in public IRL. But what rules should models be aware of before driving out somewhere public to cam?

This guide will look at some of the risks and benefits of broadcasting in public, as well as taking a closer look at some of the leading camsites' terms and conditions to see what they have to say about public streams.

Public Camming in the Past

First of all, it's important to take note that just because your favourite streaming site turned a blind eye to public shows in the past, it doesn't mean they're still allowed.

Kendra Sunderland is probably the most famous example of a public stream that went wrong. Disillusioned by the prospect of a 9-to-5 job and unable to find even part-time work as a waitress, she joined MyFreeCams where she said users "had nothing but nice things to say".

One MFC member then suggested she should try camming in public, as a way to make more money. Her stream from her university library was pirated and uploaded to Pornhub, where Sunderland was recognised. She was subsequently banned from campus AND from MFC.

This case highlights some of the risks of camming from a public place:

• More chance to be recognised by passers-by or online viewers
• More chance of breaking public indecency laws and camsite rules
• More chance of real name becoming public knowledge

With that being said, if you've already read up on the most famous examples of public camshows gone wrong, and you still think it's worth it, there are ways to be safer about it.

Do Any Camsites Allow Shows in Public Places?

This can get confusing, because some camsites refer to streaming in 'free chat' as 'streaming in public' or as a 'public show'. So even if you think your camsite's T&Cs refer to shows 'in public' you should be extra careful that they mean 'public places'.

Some of the camsites that specify a rule on camming in public places include the following:

Public Places Allowed

• CAM4: More details below (my personal favourite when it comes to rules on camming in public spaces and/or outdoors)
• Stripchat: "Streaming in public places is allowed only if there is no risk of anyone who is not a model appearing on camera."
• Xcams: "You can work whenever you want to! From the comfort of your home and desktop... or on the go, anywhere, from the most intriguing places to make money anytime!"

Public Places Forbidden

• Chaturbate: "Independent Broadcasters may not broadcast from any public place, or from a studio or set that creates the impression that the Independent Broadcaster is in a public place. Independent Broadcasters may not broadcast outdoors unless they are on private property with the owner's consent, and in an area not visible from the neighbouring property."
• MyFreeCams: Forbidden in both private and public chat: "Broadcasting from a public location."

No Specific Rule

While I couldn't find any specific rules about camming in public places on these platforms, they all warn to some extent that performers must adhere to local laws, often with a rule against any unauthorised individuals appearing on cam:

• LiveJasmin
• BongaCams
• Camsoda
• Flirt4Free
• Streamate
• XloveCam
• ImLive.com
• VISIT-X
• Cams.com
• MyDirtyHobby

None of the above is an exhaustive list, by any means. Sites can have content guidelines published in multiple places, or they may send you updated TOS when you register as a model. Always check your own terms of service before you decide to stream in public.

Public Camming on CAM4

Most camsites either ban public places completely, or put the responsibility on the performer to make sure they are not overlooked (and no unauthorised people wander into view). But sometimes you just want some very clear instructions. I LOVE CAM4's rules on this one:

There's the usual rules on ensuring minors and strangers don't appear on cam, as well as complying with CAM4's overall T&Cs. But CAM4 has some extra rules and recommendations, including:

• No camming from a moving vehicle
• No camming from a grocery/clothing store
• No camming from schools, playgrounds, hospitals, churches or graveyards
• No camming from more than 5'5" above ground level
• No littering

Admittedly these are the rules for all 'outdoor shows' and not just public places, so if you have an accessible rooftop, balcony or treehouse on your own property, it's probably not suitable for a CAM4 stream.

How to Check Your Camsite's Rules

You can't always trust past precedent when trying to figure out a camsite's rules on anything, especially camming in a public place. MFC used to be known as the go-to site for public library streams, with models like Cameron Knight, Ginger Banks and Rose Wright all stripping in the stacks.

Since the Kendra Sunderland incident, all that has changed, and MFC is now one of the strictest sites when it comes to camming in public. So, how can you know if your webcam site has cracked down on something it allowed in the past?

1. Check the TOS/T&Cs

Needless to say, if something is specifically banned in your camsite's TOS/T&Cs or anywhere in its Rules for Models or Content Guidelines, you shouldn't risk it. It's not always easy to find this information, especially on sites with a large model wiki or lots of pages of FAQs, but if you're thinking of making outdoor streams a major part of your online persona, it's worth taking the time to check thoroughly.

2. Look for Existing Streams

While you can't always go by past examples, you should be able to judge by current examples with more confidence. Look at the homepage and see if you can find many (or any!) other models streaming from the kind of location you're considering. Libraries are VERY rare now, but private swimming pools, farmland, remote beaches and streams from inside a parked car are all relatively common, on the websites that allow them.

3. Ask Support

If you're still not sure, reach out to your camsite's Model Support team and ask. They might have a more nuanced policy (e.g. camming outdoors is permitted, but only on private property with the landowner's permission) and getting this in writing is a good idea before you click that 'go live' button. If you're reluctant to ask because you think they'll say no, then you probably already know the answer.

Risks of Camming in Public

There are some obvious risks of camming in public, such as getting banned from your model account and losing your source of income. Let's look at some more of the hazards of streaming from public and outdoor spaces.

Getting Arrested

Kendra Sunderland was arrested for public indecency in January 2015 after a recording of one of her university library streams was published online and someone recognised her. That's often cited as the reason why MFC banned public shows, but it wasn't the final nail in the coffin. 

That came in March of the same year when a Canadian model, Alexandria Morra, was also arrested on a charge of performing an indecent act.

Morra had streamed more than 50 times from two different branches of Windsor Public Library, sometimes with children passing by in the background. Her streams showed nudity and masturbation, including the use of sex toys. I think the fact that minors were present was the most controversial aspect, which spurred the "no unregistered bystanders" and "no minors in the same room" rules that many camsites now have in place.

Getting Recognised

Getting recognised is always a risk when camming. You never know who's going to come into your room, and geoblocking can only do so much. I've seen models find packages hidden in the bushes outside their apartment blocks by local members who just happened to recognise a distinctive building in the view from their window. 

Cue a lifetime of camming with the curtains closed...

The risk of having your location recognised is almost greater than having a member who knows your face. In one live stream from a public beach, the MFC model Kova was interrupted by a man who had seen her online, knew where she was, and headed down in person to say hi. He only wanted to give her some flowers and then left, but that's still crossing a line that doesn't exist when camming from the safety of your own home.

Getting Busted

Less serious, but more common, is the risk of getting busted mid-show by any random employee, security guard or passer-by. 

Kova's shows were often particularly risky, with the performer choosing locations close to lifeguard towers, beachfront roads and other beach users. She played it off well whenever anyone approached her, but getting caught with a furry tail buttplug in, doing naked cartwheels on the beach, was more of a feature than an exception.

I remember another model who was busted halfway through a university library show. A fellow student walked up to a man at the next table (which was visible in the background) and accused him of being a lookout for her. 

Voices got very loud very fast and after a shocked expression, the model ended the stream.

How to Cam Safely in Public

If you're aware of the risks and you still want to try camming in public places (or outdoor private places) here are some tips on how to do so safely - in terms of protecting your model account, your personal safety AND your IRL privacy.

1. Own the Property

A good way to protect against a lot of issues is to own the land you're camming from. Legally speaking, you're on much safer ground (literally!) when you're on private property, than if you're exposing yourself or performing lewd acts on public property.

If you don't own the property, but you know the person who does, try to get their permission to be there. This can be a good route if you have a sympathetic friend with a lot of land, or if you're lucky enough to know someone with a private beach.

2. Check Your Surroundings

Two of the most common rules that apply to streams in public places are:

• Don't allow bystanders to see you
• Don't allow bystanders to be seen

Again, this is about avoiding a public indecency charge and ensuring that only authorised (and age-verified) individuals appear on-screen on camsites.

You can't always be 100% certain of this, but if you're choosing a public location to stream from, be aware of where members of the public might approach from, and be ready to log off quickly or cover your cam if necessary, to keep them out of view.

3. Avoid Landmarks

This is just good advice for camming in general, if you don't want viewers to know your exact location. But in public places, it can be much harder to disguise where you are.

Don't have buildings in the background. Don't cam from easily recognised indoor spaces, like major public libraries, or graveyards with the church in view. It's even a good idea to avoid flight paths, as the location of commercial aircraft can be tracked online in real time.

4. Have a Lookout

If you're in a relationship and they're aware of your camming career, take them along to keep an eye out for any sign of police, security or passers-by. (Really if you need to do this, you're already taking unnecessary risks, but it's better to be safe than sorry...)

This can obviously backfire - as in the example mentioned above - but it's a good backup if you don't want to get busted. Just remember to have a pre-agreed way for them to raise the alarm, if you don't want your viewers to hear your partner's voice say "Someone's coming."

5. Tell a Friend

Wherever you're planning to cam from, if there's the potential for members of the public to find you, leave an itinerary with a friend, partner or family member. Just being on live webcam is not protection against the things someone might do to you in person.

If there's a regular member in your room who you KNOW you can trust, consider telling them where you are, with a very clear agreement as to when (and ONLY when) they should raise the alarm, if you suddenly go offline in suspicious circumstances. This of course depends on the rules of your camsite - some forbid you from disclosing your real-life location, even to someone you trust.

Alternatives to Camming in Public

Even if you choose to cam in public places, you should try to diversify your camming career by streaming from other locations, just in case the rules change or you discover that there's a legal reason why you can't get online from there anymore.

Here are a few ways to give the appearance of camming from a public space, but with less of the legal issues to overcome:

Private Property

As mentioned above, private property can be used for outdoor shows. You'll usually have to check that you're not overlooked. You may need to notify your camsite that you are the legal owner of the property or that you have the landowner's permission. In the case of CAM4, you may also need to check that you're not more than 5'5" above ground level!

Green Screen

Green screen can allow you to paste in any location you like into the background of your stream. Match your outfit to your virtual location (e.g. a bikini for a 'beach' show). It doesn't even have to be convincing - you'll find an audience who are into green screen shows even though they know you're not really there.

Sets and Studios

A more 'realistic' option is to actually build your own set. It doesn't need to be Hollywood-quality. A couple of well-stocked bookcases with a basic office chair in between can work for a 'library' show. I've known models who streamed 'from work' which turned out to be the admin office of a camming studio. Be creative - it's what camgirls do best!

Unconventional Cam Show Settings

There are a few final thoughts on this. Why is it always libraries? I think it's because of all public places, libraries have some of the strictest rules on behaviour. It's easier to explain nudity on a beach. Unless there's some kind of beach patrol on duty, nobody's likely to come and tell you to stop your show.

I also think it's interesting how much things changed in a very short space of time, around 2015. 

Maybe it was already part of a trend, before those trigger events happened.

A Window on the Virtual

Jenny Vogel, assistant professor of new media art at the University of North Texas, wrote an article with the title 'Images for an Unknown Public' in 2013. She noted that camming was already changing from a more voyeuristic style to "a more solitary life for the camera".

"This might be caused by the disappearance of public spaces or maybe the idea of a public place simply shifted from the physical to the disembodied," she wrote.

"But when roaming the channels I see more and more webcam hosts with the glow of monitors reflecting in their eyes, eagerly waiting for updates in their chats. Their webcams are no longer acting as eyes to the physical world, but rather as windows to stare into the virtual."

A decade on, I'm seeing more models camming from cars, backyard swimming pools and from their own farms, fields and forests. Maybe that connection with physical locations is what we're all craving in an increasingly virtual world.

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