Introduction: Webcamming as a digital practice has increased in popularity over the last decade. With the outbreak COVID-19 and lockdowns across the globe, cam sites experienced an upsurge in both performers and viewers, and the main platform OnlyFans, increased its market share and saturation. The objective of this study was to explore the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequent economic hardship, on indirect and digitally mediated sex work. In doing so, it also explored the mediatisation of the creators of erotic content and their marketing on OnlyFans. Method: Data was collected from news media outlets on the effects of the outbreak of the virus on the online sex industry. Mainstream media news articles (N = 40) were drawn from 19 different sources that discussed changes occurring in the digitally mediated sex market during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data was drawn from across the political spectrum and type of media source to include broadsheet, tabloid, and regional news as well as broadcast media. The dataset was divided into two and independently analysed by two different researchers analysing 20 sources each. Analysis was conducted using Grounded Theory, an inductive approach frequently used due to aid concept development, as the aim was to develop theory on the mediatisation of the experiences and process of virtual sex work without drawing on sex workers’ own resources at a time crucial to their income. Results: The findings revealed reportage of increased engagement in digital sex work in three areas: expansion of the sites involved in provision of online sex services; new digital sex workers joining the industry; and those who were involved in the provision of online sex services prior to the pandemic. A continuum of experiences emerged from the data ranging from those whose financial circumstances led them to doing such work to those who reported finding the work empowering. It also included established performers who were reported to have increased workload but decreased money and who pivoted their businesses to adapt, as well as newcomers who were reported to be seeking an income and lifestyle change. Digital sex workers experienced requests from clients that went beyond, or did not involve, sexual services. These ranged from silent companionship to conversation and fetishes such as illness and Covid fetishes. The results show how online sex workers were reportedly able to monetise the loneliness of clients and how new fetishes emerged in the extraordinary situation. Given the remarkable success of adult websites amid the pandemic, this research provides new evidence on the reportage on the use of cam sites, and OnlyFans in particular. Conclusions: The findings provides new data on how digital sex workers’ experiences were represented during the pandemic and reveal a nuanced picture behind the upsurge in online work to show how rewards and risks vary for those involved in it. News media outlets are crucial in the social construction of online sex work and have the power to affect peoples’ perception of this work. Additionally, press articles can provide a space where sex workers’ voices can be heard. It is therefore a key area to examine in relation to the public opinion of sex work, which in turn affects public policy, and its decriminalisation and eventual destigmatisation. These findings add to our understanding of erotic services and contribute to the growing literature on the mediatization of sex work. The study contributes new knowledge to the topic although further investigation is needed to achieve potential mainstreaming and destigmatisation for digital sex workers.
