March 11, 2002 12:00pm
The Naked Truth
Source: Wired News
by: Edward Cone
When his dotcom employer folded last summer, the man who calls himself Adam had a fallback plan: amp up his efforts on his voyeur porn site, Publicflash.com, and turn it into a real business. Adam figured he'd have a blast getting attractive women to do full-frontal flashes outside the local Old Navy, in gas station parking lots, on park benches. Men would line up to pay for the photos, and he'd sit back and count the money.
But as Adam has discovered, running a porn site isn't so easy - or much fun. For starters, the exhibitionism market is crowded with competitors. Then there's the capital outlay required; maintenance and hosting cost hundreds of dollars per month. And there are unforeseen security problems that soak up time and money. "Some users gave out passwords, and they got posted," he says glumly.
Even the part with the nude models turns out to be a drag. "Content acquisition is a pain in the butt," Adam says. "It's constant hand-holding. I have one photographer in New Jersey - I say to set up a shoot, then the model backs out. I send money, harass the guy with email, and get my hundred shots three months later." and don't even ask how Adam's wife feels about it.
Welcome to the real world of Internet porn, a market where the easy money has long since been pocketed - and where even the established players aren't enjoying work the way they once did. In addition to the typical hassles that come with running any operation, this hypercompetitive industry brings its own set of issues: unique legal problems, deadbeat customers, and even the occasional moral qualm.
[For the rest of the story follow the link below. -Ed.]
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