Do Escorts use the social media better than corporate America?
( I originally published this on Buzznetworker.com over a year ago. And recently updated it and wrote a companion piece that I will be posting tomorrow. This really started out as a research paper in my Master’s degree program but morphed into this. I have always found it interesting that technology has been so influenced by industries that we look down upon. Pornography videos helped settle the battle between VHS and Betamax, online video service technology improved with adult websites leading the way, and now we have escorts deploying social media better than most companies. )
The social web has rapidly evolved into a powerful marketing tool whose reach has forced business to adjust their core philosophies and strategies in order to more effectively reach their target consumers. The social web, though relatively young, was already considered a popular media by 2004, though mainstream media and Corporate America have only recently taken notice. When a Bausch and Lomb Executive was recently asked about his attendance at a conference on blogging, his reply indicated that his company lacked a presence in new media. Businesses and governments are beginning to understand the power of the social web and have begun to embrace it, including British Foreign Secretary David Milibland who launched a blog to help people understand the diplomatic policy of England. One business though has beaten all these titans to the bunch; the world’s oldest profession has been quick to embrace these new and exciting technologies. People in this profession have been quick to grasp the strength of creating a community on the social web.
We have been able to witness the growth of this trend, which mirrors the growth of the technology and shares traits with any other sub-group on the web. Web 2.0 concepts such as the creation of social networking websites are being used by people within this industry as well as other technologies that are a mix of traditional web and Web 2.0 such as bulletin boards, blogs, Craigslist.com, and instant messenger have benefited both provider and seeker. These combined technologies have helped create and foster a community. This has had multiple effects on illegal activity: it has moved a lot of people off of the streets, emboldened them to work for themselves, created a screening process for both client and provider, and has created a path for law enforcement to track it.
In examining the growth of prostitution online, it mirrors the type of growth and activity of a typical subgroup. We can take fans of the 2006 Super Bowl Champions, the Indianapolis Colts for example. They have their own social networking site designed by the team http://www.mycolts.net/. On that site users can create their own profile and participate on message boards created to specifically discuss the Colts. Beyond the message board, featured users can share their thoughts via chatrooms, photo sharing, messaging services, and blogs. They are also able to follow the news about the team as well as being able to read blogs created by members of the team and coaching staff. By using social networking the Colts have found a way to unite their fan base and create a community. With these connections, you see a history emerge of the interaction between the users. The users refer to other conversations or make references to information about other users, which is a display of familiarity. This is something that you see in a community; not only is there interaction, but you have people with established relationships referencing those relationships within their interactions with each other.
When you examine prostitution online you can see the exact same type of sites, albeit with different subject area and interests. Users still have the creation of relationships and an ongoing discussion between clients, just as the fans in the previous example. On top of their ongoing professional conversations, providers also participate and interact with their client base in a more casual context, beyond their immediate professional concerns. This one on one interaction was a surprising component of this sub-group. Unlike the Colts, where there is a wall between fans and players, in this context there was no formal distinction or distance. This isn’t the case as providers are part of the conversations on these sites in a way that demonstrates that they are members of the community, not just the providers of a service. Unlike the Colts site where the blogs are a one sided interaction (fans can comment on the posts but there isn’t going to be an ongoing dialogue created like on most blogs), on these message boards there is an involvement with the desired subject. These communities are built just like any other web communities, in a collaboration of multiple sites or sites with multiple features that cover multiple types of technology such as in house messaging, profiles, ratings, reviews, message boards, photography, and other hallmarks of social networking sites.
For example escorts.com- a site which is a way for users to find providers in their area- has a lot of the same aspects you would find on
most social networking websites, but with a niche community like on mycolts.net. Users can set up their own profile with their date of birth, gender, sexual orientation, race, height, weight, smoking preference, drinking preference, and other typical background profile information that social networking websites ask for. Users can also modify their profile by adding pictures (with a full photo gallery feature), configuring a headline or greeting, and designing their profile layout in a manner reminiscent of most social networking sites. The communication features of this site also mirror large social networking sites in that you can instant message, send long form messages, chat, and interact on message boards.
Besides the traditional social networking features of this site, there are things that are specific to this niche such as reviews of providers and clients. Also there is a paid membership feature that allows you extended access that includes reviews with intimate details. This, in addition to referral links to other adult services, is how the site is monetized.
There are multiple benefits of deploying this technology for this industry. From a political perspective it reduces the street aspect of the industry. This has a kind of a “out of site out of mind” type reaction within the political and law enforcement world. (Although in reality it is currently thriving online.) Safety wise this provides multiple levels of protection for all involved: a rating system allows clients to know what to expect with a provider and providers can be tainted if they have a history of participating in unethical practices within this community. Activities such as not expressing their rates properly, upselling their services, or even a reputation of stealing from their clients can follow them in this virtual world. For providers they are able to get recommendations from other providers about specific clients, which helps protect them against law enforcement stings as well as protecting themselves against potentially dangerous clients. Services such as TheEroticReview.com even go so far as to let providers “white list” clients which is a stamp of approval for other providers. While there is obviously still a risk on many levels for both clients and providers ranging from STDs, robbery, or even worse, this screening process created by these sites has considerably lowered risks on a lot of fronts. When compared head to head against street prostitution the risks are emensely lower.
Beyond the social networking type of website, there are a few other sites that people use that are current web 2.0 technologies. Service like Escort Site allow users to set up a blog and webpage in minutes, much like wordpress.com or blogger.com. Users can select templates, plugins, and features which any other blogger would do when setting up a site. Additional features include other popular emerging content such as streaming video and mobile sites, two things that traditional business sites have been slow to adapt to.
Craigslist.com (which I would argue is not a Web 2.0 site) has been in the news recently for their erotic services section on their website. It has drawn the ire of law enforcement personal as well as religious advocates. The erotic services section is filled with multiple ads for adult services that include phone sex operators, web cam girls, massage parlors, and escorts. An interesting angle to the use of cragslist.com is that Craigslist is actually looked down upon by many of the people that are involved in these community websites. It is widely proclaimed by message boards such as aspd.net that Craigslist is a haven for scam artists. Recently Craigslist has begun to charge a fee for their erotics services listings, $5 per post, that must be paid by credit card and the poster must also supply a phone number. Craigslist has stated that if law enfocement official subpoena the records they would supply the information.
People that are active on message boards centered around prostitution have created a hierarchy of the adult industry. This community has created a social ladder, just like you would see in any other community. “There is a perceived hierarchy in the industry,” Jennifer said. “Topless dancers think they’re better than nude dancers. Nude dancers think they’re better than the prostitutes. The people on Craigslist tend to be women on the lower end of the spectrum.” (Taken from ASPD.net forum.)
Forums such as aspd.net and TheEroticReview offer up a source for providers as well as clients. There are established users that have created a handbook of how to get involved in- as they refer to it- “the hobby”. The forum is also a place that ties multiple websites together, where people can post reviews from multiple different providers websites, as well as interacting with other users via private message and instant messenger, all while keeping their true identity hidden. Here they evaluate the information that is posted on these sites, as well as tell each other about potential scam warnings and law enforcement lookout. Another topic that the users actually approach is the idea of safe sex and protecting oneself from potential STDS.
In examining multiple dating and sex forums the topic of STDs are never brought up. On this website there were multiple threads dedicated to this topic including multiple links to websites with extremely valuable information regarding safe sex. When compared to other forums that have frank talk about sex, like different dating forums, the topic of STDs and save sex is barely every broached. Here they have formed a community that looks out for each other, from a law enforcement all the way to health perspective. While the activities they are doing are illegal in most areas of the United States and arguably immoral, the amount of participation and care displayed for their fellow “hobbyist” was remarkable. I would relate this to a well moderated support forum where users are quick to supply information and support the issues of other users.
Detailed information flows pretty freely on these sites. All of this information is available for people that want to take part in the “hobby”. There is a free transfer of information ranging from who to acquire services from and how to get them, to how to protect yourself, avoid scams, and participate within this community. Most providers are perceived to be very open and honest, and while most clients hide themselves behind online identities they were still open with details about a very intimate part of their life creating a sort of comfort level amongst the users.
This openness and transparency of all this comes with a problem from a pragmatic sense, in that law enforcement now has access to information about the business that these people are in. According to a recent article in the New York Times, law enforcement agencies are supported by the digital footprints that sites like Craigslist provide.
Despite police complaints that Craigslist facilitates prostitution, some experts say the Web site also aids enforcement. ‘Craigslist is a very open site, and it leaves digital footprints,’ said Leslie A. Harris, president of the nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology. ‘It makes it easier for the police.’ While the idea of enforcement is nice, the actual implementation of enforcement policies has been rare. Over the last year there have been large arrests, but they are only highlighted by three cities versus the hundreds of cities that have specific sites on Craigslist. “Cook County, Ill., rounded up 43 women working on the streets — and 60 who advertised on Craigslist. In Seattle, a covert police ad on Craigslist in November resulted in the arrests of 71 men, including a bank officer, a construction worker and a surgeon.” These arrests aside, most law enforcement agencies explain that they simply don’t have the manpower to respond to this or they don’t consider it a priority. The impact of technology is apparent here. While it leaves the risk of a digital footprint, it is still more cumbersome and challenging to track providers and clients down than it is to arrest someone on the street or raid a massage parlor.
When looking at prostitution and the people that are involved in it online, you can compare it directly with other communities. The use of various web 2.0 tools and techniques have helped multiple communities grow and have fostered an atmosphere of upfront information sharing. With information being shared so openly due to this use of technology it has caused this illegal activity to expand in the digital age. It has also helped reform a business that by all accounts has had been unsafe for the people involved and the society around it. While the online component of this activity doesn’t cure a lot of the social ills associated with prostitution such as drug use, the exploitation of women, and other problems, it has created a safer environment for those that are involved by creating a screening process, an information sharing network, and a system where people can interact with those around them all by creating and growing a virtual community around it. It is sad to say that corporate America is lagging behind the online sex trade for fully using web 2.0 applications to their fullest.
Tomorrow: The lessons that corporate America can take from the sex industry and apply it to their business models.
Note: I was just tipped off by someone on IM that you can follow Denver Escorts on Twitter. @denverescorts
Articles used:
“AFP: Millband’s blog goes live,” Google News. 26 September 2007. <http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iQcnDsaK3DaEJnf1-UTvd22ruT5g>.
Bruce Lambert. “As Prostitutes Turn to Craigslist Law Takes Notice.” New York Times 5 September 2007<http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/nyregion/05craigslist.html>.
“Prostitution profits from high internet visibility, little police response.” Buffalo News 13 August 2007
<http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/139910.html?imw=Y>.
nice blog.
Certainly with tools like twitter and cutting edge directories like Naughty Reviews at their disposal, Escorts have a formidable grip on social media. The adult industry in general and it’s contributions to the web helped to make what we now know as “social media” possible…
And it also creates awarness, eventually prostitution will be legal because the shock factor will be gone.