What's a Camgirl?

Webcams have made a huge impact on the digital world, and with the help of programs like Skype and ooVoo, people have found themselves using the webcam more and more for communicating. Once upon a time, there was a certain stigma associated with using a webcam; such as sexually charged video chats, and pornographic images. However, in the book "Cam Girls: Celebrity and Community in the Age of Social Networks", there is an interesting account of different young women and their webcam experiences. The new phenomena of webcam use online, is called "micro-celebrity", according to Senft. Micro-celebrities can be found all over the internet, and especially on Youtube. The status that most young girls desire these days, is almost like a chance to express themselves and be accepted by others. But most people would think about having their life broadcasted for everyone to see as a fear, well for cam girls, these moments where they are on webcam are more liberating than anything. There are moments where the cam girls said they forget the cameras are there. One question comes to mind though, where is the line and when is it crossed? I think as a society, people are interested in seeing the reality of others, as to why, reality shows are so popular. Even though reality shows aren't as raw and uncut as a webcam session, there is still a huge sense of vulnerability there. Many of these cam girls that were discussed by Senft, seem to use the webcam as their own online journal or diary. And in the text, Senft mentions how these moments can evoke emotions from both sides of the screen. Cam girls use the webcam to transform themselves into new people and create new identities. And unfortunately, while these girls use the webcam to find themselves a new identity, they are at the mercy of the "anonymous" users of the internet. These girls put their self-esteem on the line every time they allow themselves to be recorded for their audience to see them in their vulnerable states. Young girls will continue to use new ways to find themselves and find out where they fit in in this world, but the key for girls and cam girls alike is to never let people tell you what things are "supposed" to look like.