The Hidden Risks of xHamster
xHamster is an online adult entertainment and social network website headquartered in the Cypriot town of Limassol. xHamster features user-submitted adult movies, webcam models, erotic photos, and sexually provocative literature, and also includes social networking elements. xHamster was launched in 2020. Since its release, the number of websites offering adult services has increased dramatically.
The website xHamster attracts a great deal of attention from the press and bloggers because of the controversial content it contains. Many blogs and news stories have described the site as an online pornography portal. This is an unfortunate description, considering that the site does not promote or advertise any form of illegal activity or infringement of copyrights. The website does, however, feature child sexual abuse material and other forms of fetish content. Because of this, some United Kingdom authorities have issued warning letters to several individuals who were advertising themselves as members of hamsters, but were posting materials that were within the scope of being used as child sexual abuse material.
The warning was sent to these individuals because many of the tube sites that are operated on the Internet contain illegal content. Many individuals may become disillusioned with using the many websites available to them for sexual pleasure. xHamster, for example, does not feature any form of nudity, despite what may be expected from a website meant for an adult audience. This is important because many people may be unaware that child sex abuse material may be viewed on hamsters.
Some may be surprised to find out that images of naked children can be viewed on hamsters. While it is true that images of naked children cannot be viewed on the site, ncmec, or "nudity with consent of the viewer" is the name of the program that is used to make this explicit material available to its members. The term, name, does not mean that all viewing of child sexual abuse material is illegal. It is used instead to describe the explicit nature of the material. As a result of this explicit content, any individual who knowingly uses or advertises the material contained on ncmec is committing a criminal offense.
When a website that claims to offer free access to hundreds of different types of content, adult and otherwise, becomes associated with the promotion of illegal content, it is likely that users of xhamster will not feel safe about the information they obtain. While the site may be operating within the bounds of the law, there is a good chance that some of the images found on the site could constitute a violation of international law. In the United States, it is against the law to advertise any type of sexual act, including child sexual abuse material. Additionally, the material can be prosecuted in either state or federal court depending on the circumstances surrounding the promotion. xHamster does not currently face prosecution for promotion of child sexual abuse material, but any investigation into the site by law enforcement could change that.
Even though the site is unclear on whether it will face prosecution or not for promotion of child abuse imagery, it is clear that the site will not tolerate any form of discrimination. While many people use the site to enjoy the images found on the site without any ill intention, others do use the site to prey upon younger children. As a result of this, there is an increased risk of invasion of personal privacy as children attempt to guard themselves from exposure to too much offensive material. Any attempts to block or remove content would run against the site's terms of service, which is likely why the site has chosen to place such a disclaimer on the home page. In addition, the mere presence of the disclaimer would probably be a sufficient deterrent for most internet users, who are likely to act upon the threat of seeing offensive images anyway.