Cam site glossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms you will meet on live cam sites, with links to the guides that explain them in more depth.
Terms differ a little from one site to another, so treat these as general definitions. Where a guide covers a term in depth, the definition links to it.
- Age verification
- A check some adult sites run to confirm you are old enough to view adult content. Whether you are asked, and how, depends on the site and where you live. Read more
- Cam2cam
- Two-way video in a private show: you turn on your own camera, and often your microphone, so the performer can see you. Always optional, and worth preparing for privacy first. Read more
- Fan club
- A paid membership some performers offer to regular viewers, often with extras such as recorded content or chat perks. Terms and prices are set on the site.
- Follow
- Saving a performer to your list so you can find them again and, on most sites, see when they are broadcasting. Sometimes called favoriting. Free with an account. Read more
- Goal
- A target the whole room tips toward. When everyone's tips add up to the goal, the performer does what the goal promised. Shown on screen with a progress counter. Read more
- Group show
- A show that several viewers pay to join together, usually cheaper per person than a private show. Not every site or performer offers them. Read more
- Guest
- A visitor watching without an account. Guests can usually watch public rooms but cannot chat, follow performers or tip. Read more
- Interactive toy
- A device a performer links to the site so that tips trigger a response, usually stronger or longer for bigger tips. The performer sets the levels and can pause it. Read more
- Moderator
- A person the performer trusts to manage the chat: answering questions, enforcing room rules and muting or removing people who break them. Read more
- Performer
- The person broadcasting in a room. Also called a model or broadcaster. Performers set their own rules, tip menus and private-show rates. Read more
- Private message
- A message sent to one person rather than the whole room. Some performers allow them only from viewers who have tipped. Often shortened to PM. Read more
- Private show
- Paid, one-on-one time with a performer away from the public room, usually charged per minute at a rate the performer sets. Read more
- Public show
- A performer's open, live room. Free to watch; performers are paid through voluntary tips from viewers who choose to send them. Read more
- Room
- A performer's page: live video, a chat box and a description with rules, a tip menu and often a schedule. Read more
- Room rules
- The performer's own rules for the chat and requests, usually in the room description. Reading them first answers most questions and avoids being muted. Read more
- Sextortion
- Blackmail using intimate images or recordings: someone threatens to share them unless you pay. Do not pay; stop replying, save evidence and report it. Read more
- Spy show
- On some sites, a way for other viewers to watch a private show without taking part, usually at a lower rate. Names and settings differ between sites. Read more
- Tag
- A keyword a performer adds to their room to describe the show, such as a language or format. Searching by tag is one of the quickest ways to find shows you like. Read more
- Ticket show
- A show that is hidden from free viewers until they buy a ticket. The public room shows a notice while it runs. Read more
- Tip
- Tokens sent to a performer during a show, as thanks, to buy something from the tip menu or to count toward a goal. Voluntary in public rooms. Read more
- A list the performer writes of what they will do for a set number of tokens. Treat it as their terms: tip the listed amount and stick to what is on it. Read more
- Token
- The currency of a cam site. You buy tokens with money and spend them on tips, private shows and extras. Knowing what one token costs you keeps spending real. Read more
- Two-factor authentication
- A second step when you log in, such as a code from an authenticator app, so a stolen password alone cannot open your account. Read more
Know the lingo?
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