The Rise of Digital Sex Work

The internet has transformed sex work, with workers going online to attract clients, shape personas, share information, screen potential clients, and build community. Kurt Fowler's "The Rise of Digital Sex Work" explores how race, class, and privilege affect their work and the role the internet has played in their professional journeys.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 14 November 2023
Publisher: New York University Press

The internet has had a profound impact on the nature of sex work, transforming it in ways that have never been seen before. In the past, sex workers relied on traditional methods such as street corners, brothels, and escort services to find clients and make a living. However, with the advent of the internet, sex work has become more accessible, decentralized, and anonymous.

One of the most significant ways that the internet has transformed sex work is by increasing the number of clients that sex workers can reach. With the click of a button, sex workers can now advertise their services online and reach a global audience. This has led to a significant increase in the demand for sex work, as well as a wider range of clients.

Another way that the internet has transformed sex work is by allowing sex workers to shape their personas and build their brands. Sex workers can use social media platforms to showcase their skills, interests, and personalities, and to connect with potential clients. This has led to a greater sense of autonomy and control over their work, as sex workers can choose who they work with and how they work.

The internet has also played a crucial role in the safety and security of sex workers. With the anonymity provided by the internet, sex workers can avoid being identified and targeted by law enforcement and other predators. This has led to a decrease in the risk of violence and exploitation, as sex workers can work in a safer environment.

However, the internet has also brought with it new challenges for sex workers. One of the biggest challenges is the prevalence of online scams and fraud. Sex workers can be targeted by scammers who promise to pay them for services, but then never deliver the goods. This can lead to financial loss and emotional distress for sex workers.

Another challenge is the lack of regulation and oversight in the sex work industry. Because sex work is illegal in many parts of the world, sex workers are often vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. This can include physical violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

Despite these challenges, sex work continues to thrive on the internet. Sex workers are using the internet to build communities, share information, and advocate for their rights. There are also a growing number of organizations and initiatives that are working to support sex workers and to promote their safety and well-being.

In conclusion, the internet has transformed sex work in ways that have never been seen before. It has increased the number of clients that sex workers can reach, allowed sex workers to shape their personas and build their brands, and provided a safer and more secure environment for sex workers. However, the internet has also brought with it new challenges, and sex workers need to be aware of these challenges and take steps
The internet has revolutionized sex work, perhaps more than any other profession. Today's sex workers go online to attract clients, shape personas, share information, screen potential clients, and build community. The Rise. The Rise of Digital Sex Work is an intimate look into the changing face of the industry, telling the stories of workers themselves and revealing how they use the internet to share information, grow their businesses, and establish global communities. Kurt Fowler takes us inside the lives of sex workers who provide a variety of services: web-camming, dominatrix work, burlesque, and escorting. He provides insight into how race, class, and privilege affect their work and the role the internet has played in their professional journeys. Drawing on in-depth interviews with fifty workers from the United States, England, Canada, Germany, Australia, South Africa, and other industrialized countries, Fowler explores how they first entered the profession, how they manage their daily business and client relationships, their use of digital technology for safety and as a broader social resource, the role race plays in their work, and how they view their own level of risk and that of fellow sex workers. Fowler provides a look inside sex workers' digital worlds, as well as the complex meanings they attach to their experiences in their line of work.

The internet has had a profound impact on the nature of sex work, transforming it in ways that have never been seen before. In the past, sex workers relied on traditional methods such as street corners, brothels, and escort services to find clients and make a living. However, with the advent of the internet, sex work has become more accessible, decentralized, and anonymous.

One of the most significant ways that the internet has transformed sex work is by increasing the number of clients that sex workers can reach. With the click of a button, sex workers can now advertise their services online and reach a global audience. This has led to a significant increase in the demand for sex work, as well as a wider range of clients.

Another way that the internet has transformed sex work is by allowing sex workers to shape their personas and build their brands. Sex workers can use social media platforms to showcase their skills, interests, and personalities, and to connect with potential clients. This has led to a greater sense of autonomy and control over their work, as sex workers can choose who they work with and how they work.

The internet has also played a crucial role in the safety and security of sex workers. With the anonymity provided by the internet, sex workers can avoid being identified and targeted by law enforcement and other predators. This has led to a decrease in the risk of violence and exploitation, as sex workers can work in a safer environment.

However, the internet has also brought with it new challenges for sex workers. One of the biggest challenges is the prevalence of online scams and fraud. Sex workers can be targeted by scammers who promise to pay them for services, but then never deliver the goods. This can lead to financial loss and emotional distress for sex workers.

Another challenge is the lack of regulation and oversight in the sex work industry. Because sex work is illegal in many parts of the world, sex workers are often vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. This can include physical violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

Despite these challenges, sex work continues to thrive on the internet. Sex workers are using the internet to build communities, share information, and advocate for their rights. There are also a growing number of organizations and initiatives that are working to support sex workers and to promote their safety and well-being.

In conclusion, the internet has transformed sex work in ways that have never been seen before. It has increased the number of clients that sex workers can reach, allowed sex workers to shape their personas and build their brands, and provided a safer and more secure environment for sex workers. However, the internet has also brought with it new challenges, and sex workers need to be aware of these challenges and take steps.

Weight: 430g
Dimension: 154 x 231 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479824205