Cam sites come with a fair bit of jargon. Below, every term in plain English, with a link to the full guide wherever we have one.

A

Age verification. A check that you’re 18 or over. More and more US states require one by law. See age verification by state.

Anonymous tipping. An option to tip without your username appearing in public chat.

Auto-refill. A setting that buys more tokens for you when your balance gets low. Leave it off.

B

Ban. Being thrown out of a room (by the performer or a moderator), or off the platform altogether.

Billing descriptor. The short name that appears on your card statement for a purchase. See what shows on your bank statement.

Broadcaster. Another word for performer or model.

C

C2C (cam-to-cam). When you turn on your own camera in a private show so the performer can see you. Always optional.

Chargeback. Getting your bank to reverse a card payment. See refunds and chargebacks.

Credits. A site currency worth about $1 each, used on platforms such as LiveJasmin and Flirt4Free.

E

Exclusive show. A private show nobody else can watch, not even spies.

F

Fan club. A monthly subscription to one performer, with perks. See fan clubs explained.

Follow / Favorite. Saving a performer to your list so you’re notified when they go live.

G

Goal. A target number of tokens displayed in a room, toward which viewers tip together.

Group show. A show shared by several paying viewers, cheaper per person than a private.

Guest. A visitor who hasn’t created an account. Guests can usually watch but not chat.

H

HD. High-definition video. Premium platforms generally broadcast in HD.

I

Interactive toy. A connected device that reacts when people tip. See interactive toys explained.

L

Lovense. The most common brand of interactive device used on cam sites.

Lurker. Someone who watches without chatting or tipping. Lots of people do.

M

Mod (moderator). A trusted viewer who helps the performer manage the room.

Model. Another word for performer.

N

New model. A performer who has only just joined. Sites often give them their own category.

P

Performer. The adult broadcasting in a room. Performers are ID-verified by the platform.

Premium member. Depending on the site, a viewer with a paid membership, or anyone who has bought tokens.

Private show (PVT). A paid one-to-one session, billed per minute. See private shows explained.

PM. Private message.

R

Regular. A viewer who visits the same performer frequently.

Room. A performer’s page, with the live video and chat.

Room subject / topic. The line at the top of a room describing what’s happening.

S

Spy show. Watching another viewer’s private show at a reduced rate, without chatting.

Supporter / Ultimate. Names of site-wide paid memberships on Chaturbate and Stripchat respectively. See VIP and loyalty programs.

T

Ticket show. A scheduled show you pay a fixed price to attend.

Tip. A voluntary payment of tokens to a performer. See how to tip.

Tip menu. A performer’s list of fixed prices for specific requests.

Tokens. A site’s prepaid virtual currency. See tokens explained.

True private. Same as an exclusive show.

W

Whale. Slang for a viewer who spends a lot. Not something to aim for. Set a budget instead. See spending limits.

2

2257. Short for 18 U.S.C. § 2257, the US law requiring adult platforms to keep proof that every performer is 18 or over. If a site has a 2257 notice, that’s a good sign it’s legitimate. See are cam sites safe?