“I am a virtual prostitute”:

intimacy, entrepreneurship and emotions in platformed pornography

Abstract

Platformed pornography has been gaining prominence in recent years due to its rapid growth, both in terms of the number of users and the number of people who dedicate themselves to producing pornographic content. Since the beginning of the lockdowns related to the Covid-19 pandemic and the direct consequences on the economy, platforms such as OnlyFans, Privacy, Câmera Privê and Fansly have become, with the promise of good income, autonomy and flexibility, an attractive option for people who cannot find a job in the formal job market or are dissatisfied with their current position. Based on in-depth interviews, research in virtual environments and image analysis, I investigate the motivations and experiences of people who work with platformed pornography, seeking to understand how they choose this work and how they evaluate their experiences with the production of pornographic images.