I want to start this by saying I support sex workers. I believe the decriminalization of the sex work industry will only help society and sex workers, in general. This is an opinion formed out of being a sex worker for a short time, speaking with others, reading the literature, and realizing the work involved. Allowing sex workers to operate without fear of legal reprisal will lead to less sex trafficking because it will remove some of the shame. Sex workers are more likely to report when they’re being abused or trafficked in some way, leading to arrests of the actual criminals. However, I’m not here to convince you of my opinion on sex work.
Let’s start with a fact, in the United States, most people who are trafficked in the sex industry are not kidnapped and violently forced into sex work. This is not some salacious story about how “they” (meaning whichever country is being othered this week) have gangs of people who come to the United States and kidnap our women. “Most human traffickers use psychological means such as tricking, defrauding, manipulating or threatening victims into providing commercial sex or exploitative labor.”
Often they are men/women who are in “relationships” with these people who are being trafficked. Take Andrew Tate, he is an “influencer” who has become notorious in the “manosphere”. He has been accused of convincing women that he’s in a relationship with them, bringing them to Romania, and putting them to work as cam girls.
And, please, by no means believe this only happens to women. “LGBTQ boys and young men are seen as particularly vulnerable to trafficking.”
Now, enter FOSTA/SESTA
“The Section 230 safe harbor was established in 1996, making the providers of “interactive computer services” immune from liability under civil laws for the actions of their users if they publish objectionable content (such as defamatory and obscene content). Section 230 has been considered a key piece of Internet legislation, as operators of online services that handle user-generated content are not liable for civil wrongs committed by their users, if the service was not directly involved in the offending content. These provisions do not apply to criminal or intellectual property law.The Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation (SAVE) Act made it illegal to advertise sex trafficking, knowingly benefit financially from participation in a venture that advertises sex trafficking, and to engage in activities related to sex trafficking besides advertising, knowingly or in reckless disregard of the fact that sex trafficking is involved.”
Where does AdultFriendFinder fit into this?
Ask yourself, why did Craigslist personals shut down?
I can tell you. FOSTA-SESTA.
How else is this concerning?
FriendFinderNetworks, owner of Adultfriendfinder, also own Cams.com which is a camming site. I suspect, though I have no proof, that Adultfriendfinder streams Cams.com models through their cam feature. I do know, for sure, that people are making money (points which function as currency), and the leader at Adultfriendfinder (Jonathan Buckheit) can’t possibly know if any of these people making money on their website are being trafficked. Unless he’s been told…
One of my friends took a screenshot of a stream where you have to buzz a cam model with 35 points to watch the stream.
I believe the cam models are using some stream management service such as Streamlabs, and configured it to only show the model after the user has paid. I have verified through some of my old camming friends that this is possible. This is not done through Adultfriendfinder per se, although FriendFinderNetwork is paying these people through the points system and allowing it to happen.
(I was also told Cams.com was one of the better cam sites to make money. However, that’s not the point.)
How does this affect the blogs?
It affects the blogs because the site is now allowing cam models to advertise their services on the blogs. If a person is being trafficked on their site, Adultfriendfinder is going to have a lot to answer for, and not just civilly.
The same blogs where they take down any criticism regarding their choices in allowing these cam models to advertise. There’s no longer a critical thought to be uttered about AdultFriendFinder on Adultfriendfinder blogs, even when they’re being informed of possible illegal activities like sex trafficking.
I know at least one user who has tried to warn them of possible trafficking, but they were told to stop talking about it.
In my opinion, Buckheit will ruin the company.
Lady Cat Lady 
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