Stickam: Possible Connection To Online Porn?
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Back in March I reviewed a site called Stickam, a community of approximately 600,000 members, mostly made up of teens. They gather online to chat with other people using their web cams — a full audio-visual experience. The trouble is that you’d be hard-pressed to find these exchanges NOT taking place in someone’s bedroom.
Well, I just learned of some more trouble. According to an article in the New York Times, a former Vice President of Stickam, Alex Becker, has accused the company of not doing enough to protect their members. In fact, the same company shares office space — and sometimes employees — with online porn companies.
The parent company of Stickam is Advanced Video Communications. They own several popular pornographic web sites, some using web cam technology.
So what?
Whether or not the allegations Mr. Becker is making are true, it cannot be denied the danger that lies ahead for unsupervised teens using a service such as Stickam. I’m sure there are many people who use it responsibly; I’m not worried about them. My concern is for those who are being rebellious or adventurous. The article also reported that people are frequently asked to remove their clothing.
Bottom line
Kids alone with computers in the privacy of their own bedroom can be a potentially dangerous mix. And that word “private” doesn’t really mean much, does it? After all, that web cam is a window into their room. Even without the web cam, the computer is just that: a window into your home.
What’s your response? Am I being too harsh on Stickam?
[tags]stickam,web cam,technology,family,teens,privacy[/tags]
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Comments
I don’t think you’re being too harsh on Stickam. Any hint of links to porn is enough to make me highly suspicious. One of our writers has this week also blogged on Stickam and I’m going to link your article to the bottom of hers. The more parents that know about the immediate risk of this site, the better.
Thanks for helping to care for kids.
Megan from Australia
Hi Megan, thanks for chiming in and for linking to me.
Yeah, I think far too often parents are just clueless about this sort of thing. It’s the “not-my-child” syndrome.
Ya know, stickam is the same as myspace but with more features (including a cam) but safer in the fact that others are there and can moderate each other.
Who says your kid isnt using yahoo messenger “with cam” to show thier “room”
Stickam is making it safer.
If parents dont know that yahoo can do the same part “web cam wise”
Then your blind
Hi William. You’re right, I fear that parents don’t realize the impact of web cams. I’ve read Stickam’s policy and that they have moderator’s and that’s definitely a must in my book. But I wonder if a violation is made, do they shut that person’s account down forever? And if so, wouldn’t the violator just create a new account?
oh well i say its FAR more of a risk getting raped/molested by a trusted priest or pastor then a webcam!
I have to agree with William’s post
“Ya know, stickam is the same as myspace but with more features (including a cam) but safer in the fact that others are there and can moderate each other.
Who says your kid isnt using yahoo messenger “with cam†to show thier “room†Stickam is making it safer.
If parents dont know that yahoo can do the same part “web cam wiseâ€
Then your blind”
If you cant see that.. ok MAYBE he has ties to porn.. so what.. I wish I could make that mony.. better YET, I think he sees how myspace, youtube, etc, etc in the sns market are making sites (non-adult) and getting rich!
Why screw that up crossing a market they say he already has?
And I very much agree.. been there and I see they are making it MUCH safer than myspace by far.. moderators they hire not to mention the members who are moderators.. They have come a LONG way from the start when yeah it was a bit loose on control.
Hehe…you’re agreeing with your own post? 
It’s the tie to porn that concerns some people, like myself. IMHO, the world would be a much better place without it, but it’s deeply rooted in our society and isn’t going away anytime soon.
And when you put Stickam and porn a little closer together (not porn on Stickam, but I’m speaking about the people behind the scenes who run both shops), then it makes things a little more unnerving as there’s the potential for errors in judgment that could have a greater and negative impact.
Well not my own post.. thats a diff william.
But to say that the people who work on stickam are the same that do the porn.. umm nope all work on thier own projects, they dont mix the 2
you’re not being too harsh at all. i made an account to check it out and when i put on a live stream, i was asked to “play games” and to take off clothing and blah blah and it was disgusting. i was like, sorry, not my style, buh-bye.
@Samantha: geesh, it didn’t take long at all! I hope others will follow your lead. Thanks for stopping by!
I’d be worried too. We’ll probably hear more complaints about it soon.