Though some would only admit to doing it in the strictest rounds of ‘never have I ever’, Skype sex and footage of your most intimate moments is seen by many students as a standard component of a healthy sex life.
Adam Thies, a third year Erasmus student, explains: “Across continents, Skype can be great. Clothes definitely tend to come off.”
The absolute accessibility to free video calling afforded by Skype and webcam facilities means couples are easily tempted to rely on visual gratification as an alternative to the good old anonymity of phone sex and fantasy.
It is easy to forget that we cannot help but lose control of images and recordings as they are released online as easily transferable, storable data that quite forseeably could come back to haunt the Law graduate applying for prestigious internships or the Politics graduate running for office!
A leaked image could prove a damaging invasion of privacy which could put you off stripping down for a loved one for life.
Skype sex is not for the camera-shy and we often see the dangers in newspapers and in celebrity magazines. A recent article from Reuters revealed a scandal that erupted from India last month as a spokesman of India’s ruling Congress party was forced to resign following allegations that he featured in a sex tape “distributed on YouTube and other websites”. Though this has been disputed and ‘strongly denied’, even the reputations and careers of our public figures can clearly be tarnished by the decision to record their explicit moments – the damage even the most notorious of our own BNOCs might face is inconceivable.
Yet for those who can handle the infamy, such a scandal can be used to advantage. A seedy sex tape can catapult your average Z-lister into the stratosphere of celebrity. Kim Kardashian, now a household name, was a mere assistant to the stars before her private video was released in 2007. Not only did the settlement earn her a cool $5 million, her subsequent manipulation of her new found fame landed her a reality TV show, countless sponsorship deals and modelling contracts, and has allowed her to accrue an estimated net worth of $35 million in just five years.
However, when Tulisa Contostavlos was exposed by a vengeful ex-boyfriend in a (debatably) unflattering video, her prospects appeared bleak. Her newly founded career as X Factor judge and solo singer threatened and her credibility called into question by the media, she was forced to release an explanatory video on YouTube in which she defended her decision to record what she described as an “intimate moment”. It was not until Simon Cowell sprung to her defence declaring: “What she was doing was not illegal. You’re allowed to do this stuff in your bedroom, but you don’t want the tape to come out” that the abuse was tempered. Though Tulisa has since been named hottest woman of the year by FHM, if you see yourself as a future TV personality, you might want to re-think that kinky online diversion from exam revision or convenient attempt to avoid the walk of shame across campus.
How To: Safe Skype Sex
Protecting yourself when having sex is always important, even when there is no physical contact involved! Be aware. Skype sex is never 100% safe from unwanted dissemination.
1. Trust is vital when you bare all online.
2. Skype sex is significantly safer within a committed relationship or arrangement.
3. Know that you lose control of anything you release online instantaneously.
4. Don’t be pressured into anything you feel uncomfortable with and don’t be afraid to start small; a saucy text might be all it takes.
We urge all you girlfriends, boyfriends and friends-with-benefits out there to carefully consider whether you can really trust anyone…
Don’t forget to charge your laptop!