From the invention of the radio, the television and the Internet, there is no denying that technology has greatly advanced and affected millions of people around the world. With the advent of the Internet, it’s much easier for people to connect and get in touch with the world with just a simple click of a button or tap of a finger.
As with all good things, there is a dark side to the Internet, as Raymond Zhou of China Daily reported.
Sex has infiltrated the Web through live feed broadcasts and social media. In one instance, a live feed broadcast of a man and woman having intercourse on Douyutv was just shut down by in-house vigilantes. Soon after, police were called and an investigation is currently underway.
People are also using chat rooms for reasons other than sex.
Internet live broadcast is an offshoot of online gaming, which is reported to have three times the size of China's film market in revenue. These broadcasts occur in chat rooms that are frequented by about 100 million unique users every month.
One of the best things about Internet live broadcasts is that, as Zhou writes, "anyone can be star . . . as long as you are endowed with good looks." Still, the most popular rooms are from game sites, where hosts simulcast their plays to an eager and highly interested audience.
With little regulation or supervision, breaking the rules to stand out from the crowd is compelling.
Then there's the matter of the revenue model. Unlike movies and premium cable channels, Internet live broadcasts do not require charges for admission or a subscription system.
To earn revenue, models receive gifts or tokens--usually in the form of tokens or virtual flowers purchased online--from admiring fans. Zhou reports that one website offers a token or a "rocket" costing about 500 yuan or $76 each.
The hosting website gets 40 percent of the money, while the hostess gets 45 percent. The rest of the earnings go to the recruiting or training agency. In the world of Internet live broadcasts, an individual can earn about 5,000 to 15,000 yuan a month, with top earners getting up to 1 million yuan.