Latest news with #Chaturbate
Gizmodo
28-07-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
Former Chaturbate Moderator Sues Site Over ‘Psychological Trauma'
A former content moderator for the porn site Chaturbate has sued the platform and its affiliates, claiming that he was psychologically harmed by his ongoing exposure to the sexual material on the site. Neal Barber, who was hired as a moderator for the porn site in 2020, claims in a class action lawsuit that his employers knowingly and intentionally failed to 'provide their content moderators with industry-standard mental health protections, such as content filters, wellness breaks, trauma-informed counseling, or peer support systems.' 404 Media first reported on the litigation. The suit, which names as defendants Chaturbate, its parent company, Multi Media LLC, and a customer support contractor, Bayside Support Services, was filed earlier this month in California. The lawsuit claims that Barber 'developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other severe emotional injuries' from his work, which required him to view and interact with 'sexually explicit, violent, obscene and psychologically disturbing live-streamed content for extended periods of time.' Barber now claims to suffer from 'vivid nightmares, emotional detachment, panic attacks, and other symptoms consistent with PTSD.' This alleged emotional trauma requires 'ongoing medical treatment and therapy,' the suit says. 'These injuries were not only foreseeable, but preventable,' the litigation continues. 'Had Defendants taken even the minimal precautions adopted by companies in Defendants' industry, Plaintiff would not have suffered these injuries.' The lawsuit also notes the importance of moderators to the porn industry's business model. 'Because platforms like Chaturbate host vast amounts of live, unfiltered, and sexually explicit content, content moderators are essential to maintain compliance with legal standards, enforce platform rules, and prevent the dissemination of illegal or abusive material,' the lawsuit says. 'They serve as the first line of defense against child exploitation, non-consensual content, violent content, obscene content, self-harm, and other violations.' Gizmodo reached out to Chaturbate, as well as to Bayside Support Services and Multi Media LLC, for comment. The plight of the content moderator has become one of the most confounding dilemmas of the modern age. The internet is overflowing with repellant material, and it's almost always somebody's job to try to clean it up (even Elon Musk's 'free speech' platform X has a moderation staff). Usually, the job falls to precarious low-wage workers—many of whom end up claiming that the sites that employ them do next to nothing to ease the psychological pain of having to watch awful stuff all day. As an example, Meta has been sued multiple times over the company's alleged treatment of African contractors who were tasked with moderating the deluge of disturbing and illegal content on the company's websites. Last year, it was reported that 140 moderators who had previously done work for Facebook had been diagnosed with PTSD from having viewed social media material involving murders, suicides, and child sexual abuse material. As legal troubles involving moderators have become more common, some companies are increasingly turning to automated, AI-driven systems to do the work of cleaning up their sites. However, it's often the case that human observers are still necessary to provide oversight for the automated systems. Chaturbate has had a difficult few years, as it and other porn sites continue to adjust to the wave of age-verification regulations that have taken root in mostly conservative states. Last year, the platform was fined over half a million dollars by the state of Texas for failing to institute age-verification mechanisms for the users of its site. A conservative political movement has also increasingly lobbied to make the entire porn industry illegal.
Business Insider
28-07-2025
- Health
- Business Insider
Content moderator at live-streaming porn site Chaturbate sues, saying he suffered PTSD from his work
A content moderator for the popular porn site Chaturbate has sued the adult live-streaming platform, alleging in court papers that he has developed PTSD as a result of his daily exposure to "extreme, violent, graphic, and sexually explicit" material. In the lawsuit filed last week in the US District Court for the Central District of California, plaintiff Neal Barber accused Chaturbate and its operator of negligence for "knowingly and intentionally" failing to provide their content moderators with "industry-standard mental health protections" like content filters, wellness breaks, trauma-informed counseling or peer support systems. Barber, the lawsuit said, has suffered "psychological trauma" and other severe emotional injuries since his November 2020 hiring. He is currently on medical leave "due to PTSD" from his content moderation work, the court papers added. A spokesperson for Multi Media, LLC — the owner of the pornographic website which is also named as a defendant — told Business Insider in a statement on Monday: "The company has not been served nor has it reviewed the complaint and therefore cannot comment on the matter at this time." "With that said, it takes content moderation very seriously, deeply values the work of its moderators, and remains committed to supporting the team responsible for this critical work," the statement continued. Attorneys for Barber did not immediately respond to a request for comment by BI. Lawyers for Barber allege in the lawsuit his injuries "were not only foreseeable, but preventable." "Had Defendants taken even the minimal precautions adopted by companies in Defendants' industry, Plaintiff would not have suffered these injuries," the lawsuit said. "Plaintiff is informed and believes that numerous other members of the proposed class have also suffered emotional harm from engaging in the content moderator duties required of them by Defendants." Barber's lawsuit said his role was known as "customer service risk supervisor," and that his job was to act as a content moderator for the Chaturbate website, where hosts can broadcast sexual live video streams and viewers can interact with them in real time. "Because platforms like Chaturbate host vast amounts of live, unfiltered, and sexually explicit content, content moderators are essential to maintain compliance with legal standards, enforce platform rules, and prevent the dissemination of illegal or abusive material," the lawsuit said. The content moderators, the court papers said, serve as the "first line of defense against child exploitation, non-consensual content, violent content, obscene content, self-harm, and other violations." Without them, the porn site "would become unmanageable, unsafe, and legally vulnerable," said the lawsuit. Barber and the proposed class, the lawsuit said, "have been and continue to be routinely exposed to some of the most graphic, disturbing, obscene and psychologically damaging content found anywhere online." "Their jobs require them to monitor live-streamed material which too often involves child sexual abuse imagery, self-harm and suicide threats, extreme violence, and highly obscene, degrading, or dehumanizing sexual acts," the lawsuit said. "Much of this content is created to be intentionally shocking, often non-consensual, and designed to provoke trauma." The lawsuit alleged that Chaturbate's lack of mental health protections for its employees "was not a routine workplace oversight but a conscious disregard of nondelegable duties imposed by law and public policy, including the obligation to provide a safe and healthy work environment." Chaturbate and Multi Media previously faced another lawsuit last year brought by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who accused the entities of violating the state's age-verification law. A settlement that called for Multi Media to pay a $675,000 penalty was ultimately reached between the parties.
Newsweek
27-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Supreme Court's Free Speech v. Paxton Decision Could Protect Kids Online
Can a state place age restrictions on pornography websites so that children cannot access their material? The U.S. Supreme Court will decide that critical question in its forthcoming opinion in the case Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton. For those who've not been following this case, this is a decision worth paying close attention to. It will be of critical importance for future state and federal efforts to protect kids online, especially from pornography. The case started with a lawsuit, brought by the trade association for the pornography industry, masking itself behind the name "Free Speech Coalition." The association sued the state of Texas over a law, H.B. 1181, that requires pornographic websites doing business in Texas to "use reasonable age verification methods" to verify that a customer "is 18 years of age or older." The law applies to any commercial entity that "knowingly and intentionally publishes or distributes material on an Internet website, including a social media platform, more than one-third of which is sexual material harmful to minors." Companies that do not institute the required age verification will be subject to fines of up to $10,000 per day and up to $250,000 if a child is exposed to pornographic content because of a failure to verify his or her age. The law was initially enjoined from taking effect by a district court in Texas, but then the Fifth Circuit stayed the injunction. So the law, although appealed up to the Supreme Court for review, has been in effect in Texas since November 14, 2023. Texas' law has already been making a significant impact. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued several large pornography websites under the law, including one in February 2024 against Aylo Global Entertainment, which runs several of the largest pornography websites, including Pornhub. Texas found that the company, instead of age verifying and restricting its material, immediately presents minors who access their websites with pornographic content. Rather than comply with the requirements of the law, PornHub opted to stop doing business entirely in Texas. Then in March 2024, Texas sued two more pornography companies, Multi Media LLC and Hammy Media, failing to provide sufficient screening to prevent minors from accessing their material. Texas has now secured a settlement with Multi Media LLC, in which the latter agreed to use an age verification service on its Chaturbate website to ensure compliance. These are the kinds of results we want to see nationwide to protect America's children. Whether we will comes down to the Supreme Court's decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton. If the Court upholds the constitutionality of age-verification laws for pornography websites, it would pave the path for other states' laws to go forward as well (there are now 23 states with laws similar to Texas'), and hopefully for a nationwide age-verification law like Senator Mike Lee's (R-Utah) SCREEN Act. But if they don't, future efforts to protect America's kids will be imperiled. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court for former US President Donald Trump's trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs, in New York City, on April 30,... Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court for former US President Donald Trump's trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs, in New York City, on April 30, 2024. More JUSTIN LANE / POOL / AFP/Getty Images So what should we expect in the Court's ruling? I expect the Court's decision to grapple heavily with two important questions. First, what standard of review should be applied to age-verification laws for pornography websites? And second, how should the law and precedents apply, given the vast technological changes we've seen over the previous 20 years? Those questions were the main themes of oral argument. When the Justices asked what standard of legal review should be applied, Texas argued for "rational basis," the lowest level of review, whereas, the porn industry argued for "strict scrutiny," the highest standard. The Justices seemed to land somewhere in between the two. The Justices' other main line of questioning focused on what the technological changes over the last 20 years mean for how effective filtering technology is. In Ashcroft v. ACLU (2004), the Court had found that age verification was not constitutional because content filters would be an "effective and less restrictive means" to protect minors. I am cautiously optimistic that the Court will uphold the Texas law, mainly because the majority of the Justices recognized that content filters have been extremely ineffective in the era of smartphones and social media. They've also acknowledged that websites now have the technology to verify users' age in ways that are anonymous and convenient, relieving the potential burden on adult speech. Whether the Court overturns Ashcroft or issues a ruling mainly guided by other precedents, given the Justices' acknowledgement of the vast changes in technology over the last 20 years, the eventual ruling in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton will most likely allow states a way forward for age-restricting minors' access to online pornography. Justice Neil Gorsuch emphasized that we don't want two separate constitutional regimes in our country—one for the online world and one for the real world. The goal should be to have those be as similar as possible. I am hopeful the Paxton ruling will help bring our governance of the virtual world more in line with our governance of the real world, rather than driving the two further apart. Clare Morell is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, and author of the forthcoming book, The Tech Exit: A Practical Guide to Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Time Business News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Business News
How to Get Free Tokens on Adult Cam Sites Without Getting Scammed
The adult cam industry is booming, with millions of users flocking to popular platforms like Chaturbate, Bongacams, LiveJasmin, and Cam4 every day. These platforms use tokens or credits as their in-app currency, which viewers purchase to tip performers or access premium content. But what if you could get these tokens for free? If you're looking for ways to get free tokens without falling into the trap of scams or malware-infested websites, you're in the right place. In this article, we'll explore safe and legit methods to earn or access free adult cam credits—without putting your personal data or devices at risk. Adult cam tokens serve as a virtual currency that gives users access to private shows, exclusive content, and the ability to support their favorite performers. Depending on the platform, a few hundred tokens could cost anywhere from $20 to $100 or more. Because of this, users are constantly searching for free or discounted ways to get tokens—especially those who are new to cam platforms or are on a budget. The internet is filled with sketchy websites promising 'unlimited free tokens' or 'generator tools' that work instantly. In reality, these sites often lead to: Fake surveys or human verification loops Phishing pages designed to steal your login info Malware or spyware downloads Sites that require a credit card 'just to confirm you're human' These scams are not just ineffective—they're dangerous. Never enter your account credentials, download unknown software, or provide payment details to unverified token generator sites. Although scams are everywhere, there are safe alternatives to getting free or discounted tokens if you know where to look. Let's go over a few of the most effective and secure methods. Some cam sites offer referral bonuses to users who invite friends. If your friend joins and starts using the platform, you could earn free tokens as a reward. While it takes time, it's 100% legit and risk-free. Certain platforms run limited-time promotions where new users get free credits just for signing up. For example, LiveJasmin occasionally offers 9.99 free credits as a welcome bonus. Cam sites like Bongacams have been known to run token giveaways during live events or through contests. Keep an eye on their official social media accounts or newsletters to catch these offers. Instead of trusting random token generators, use well-reviewed resources that curate free token methods in a safe and transparent way. One of the best examples is This site provides tested and updated guides for getting free tokens on major cam platforms. From promo codes to reward hacks, they lay it all out without tricking users into downloading shady apps or completing endless surveys. There's a reason why thousands of cam fans visit every month. The platform offers honest, scam-free content that educates users about how to access free tokens without compromising their data or accounts. Here's what makes trustworthy: ✅ Real guides based on working methods ✅ No fake 'token generator' tools ✅ Platform-specific strategies for Chaturbate, Cam4, Bongacams, and more ✅ Easy-to-follow instructions with no catch ✅ No forced downloads or fake human verification Rather than luring users with too-good-to-be-true offers, gives you the truth about what works and what doesn't. No matter where you get your tokens from, security should be your top priority. Here are some must-follow tips: Use a strong, unique password on each cam site. Don't click on token ads or pop-ups from unknown websites. Enable 2FA (two-factor authentication) if the platform offers it. Never share your login credentials with anyone. Always use a VPN if you're unsure about a site's safety. While getting free tokens on adult cam sites might seem risky, it doesn't have to be. If you avoid the common traps—like fake generators and phishing sites—you can still enjoy premium content without spending a dime. For safe and effective methods, check out They cut through the noise and provide real, scam-free advice for users who want to unlock the most out of their cam experience. In a world full of fake promises, remains a trusted name for free token strategies that actually work. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Sydney Morning Herald
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Serial pest in sperm donor groups joins Clive Palmer's colourful cast
A serial pest in sperm donation groups has joined the cast of bankrupts, fraudsters and fantasists in Clive Palmer's Trumpet of Patriots and is running in the hotly contested western Sydney seat of Lindsay. Joseph O'Connor claims in the biography posted on the party's website that he brings 'a wealth of experience in mental health and counselling' to his candidacy. But this masthead can reveal that he has also presented himself as Dane McDuff, Blake McBeth, Adam Nilsson and Jack DeBevay in Facebook groups for women and couples looking for sperm donations, among a stream of identities that mushroom each time he is banned from a group. Sperm donor groups generally do not allow members to use aliases. Multiple women have complained to the group administrators that he has engaged in creepy behaviour, sent them unwanted imagery and is using the groups to find sexual partners. Loading The unwanted material included videos of himself on a porn site called 'Chaturbate' where he uses the moniker JackPhallus. In one of his early profiles, set up under the moniker Dane McDuff in 2019, he boasted of a 'super high' sperm count. 'I kept knocking up all my previous girlfriends so figured I might as well come here and put it to good use,' he wrote. 'Australia only pls unless you're willing to travel, shipping sperm seems like it would reduce quality.'
