Keep Your Personal Life Private

By Andra Chirnogeanu 

Being a camgirl automatically means being a very sociable person, one who is ready to talk about all sorts of topics –- all of which largely are dependent on the preferences of the people in your room.

The nature of the job also involves getting quite intimate with a lot of people, psychologically speaking. Many members will share their lives, stories and problems with you, and they most likely will want you to do the same in return. While you can shareto a certain degree, it’s always good to keep a bit of distance and think about your privacy and safety above all else.

Your “real” name

Obviously, the first thing you need to consider keeping to yourself is your real name. As a camgirl, you should choose a stage name and use it consistently across all platforms.

Pro tip: Don’t give out your real full name. Stick with the stage name you’ve chosen when you’re asked. It’s very easy for someone to look you up once they know your actual name, even if you give them only your first name.

Your personal phone number is as important as your name and as useful a tool when someone wants to find you. Keep your number secret. Most likely you won’t be communicating with your fans in places other than your room, and sharing personal details isn’t allowed on most platforms anyway. Besides, it would be incredibly difficult to set limits if your members can access your personal number at any time.

Your public and private social media

Also take into consideration your social media presence. As a camgirl, making a name for yourself, branding your image and becoming known mean Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts are very beneficial.

In addition to your professional accounts, you may have your personal accounts. Keep personal and professional separate. Don’t publish the same pictures on both. Anyone can do a Google reverse image search, and if you have common photos on your personal and private accounts, you can be found. Placing privacy restrictions on your personal accounts is a good idea, too. Make sure you know who can see your posts, your location and your media.

Your off-work plans

Going to a cool new bar or concert? Shopping for a new pair of shoes? Go ahead, share the pics with your fans. They’ll probably love getting a bit of an insight into your free time. But there are some privacy-protection photo rules you should keep in mind.

1. Don’t tag locations in your social media posts. That’s a sure way to ruin any sense of privacy you might have. Best keep posts vague and fun.
2. Try to keep recognizable locations out of your photos. Really, it’s enough if your members know the country you’re from, but it’s better if they know nothing else.
3. Make sure you disable the location-sharing feature on your smartphone if you plan to use it to make posts. Otherwise, you might accidentally reveal your location anyway.

In case you missed it, check out Jesse Quinn’s key safety tips for online performers and content producers.

Your conversations during chat

When you talk to your members, try not to divulge specifics about events that might reveal your identity and where you are. It’s good to share some of your experiences and adventures because many of your adventures can help form a bond with your fans, but you can share without providing details. It’s enough for a member to know you once had a wild night in a club with friends, but he doesn’t need to know the name of the club or the friends. Keep chats simple but fun, and they’ll work just fine.

The psychological side of things also is important to remember. Don’t talk too much about the problems you have in your life. Everyone has bad days, and some members probably will ask you about yours. However, you are there to listen to their problems. The focus should be on them, not on your issues. If you’re asked, share your challenges on a superficial level, because no one wants to go into a room where the model is a downer. As we say, leave your problems at the door.

Remember, always put yourself first. Your personal life is called that for a reason and you have the right to it, so keep it that way. Don’t forget: This might be a very social and intimate job, but it’s still a job. Personal and professional should be kept separate, as much as possible.

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Andra Chirnogeanu is the head of public relations and social media marketing at Studio20 Romania. Email her at pr@studio20.ro.

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