What Is Cam Sex? Here's What You Need to Know

Maybe you’ve seen ads for them on your favorite porn site. Maybe you’ve heard people talk about them on social media or in forums. Maybe you’ve only dreamt of the concept — getting to engage sexually with an attractive person via video chat.

What you’ve been dreaming of are called cam sites, and they’re where people go to engage in cam sex.

For the uninitiated, cam sites are a “porn-adjacent” fixture in adult entertainment. Cam sites have existed since the mid-’90s. Once considered just a niche, cams are now regarded as a powerful sector unto themselves in the adult industry, as they provide models with incredible autonomy and allow fans to find kindred spirits in a digital community unlike any other.

The popularity and success of cam sites has arguably helped pave the way for mainstream social platforms, such as TikTok, Twitch, Facebook, and Instagram, to embrace the power of live streaming for general audiences too.

On a cam site, performers stream live via webcam to anyone who’ll watch them. The real-time chat feature alongside the streaming window allows viewers to chat not only with each other, but also with the model during a live show. Depending on the user’s preferences, they can continue to interact in the model’s “public chat,” or, if the model agrees, they can opt to “go private” and enjoy a one-on-one ...