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Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating U.S. O-1 visa requests

theguardian.com

221–230 of 350 posts

Re: Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating U.S. O-1 visa requests

#221
post #187
post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought the reason for this to be a visa is because their fields' activities were in-person (acting in movies/plays/shows, academic life & research, sports training & leagues, etc). A streamer / OF worker is not like that as far as I know (but e-sports is). So this is purely to bring people with money and/or influence, nothing exceptional except the number of 0's.

What I know from news articles is that some of them openly "escort", like some traditional porn stars did more quietly. The fame on the screen can be brand-building for the even more lucrative in-person work. As one said in a quote, regarding AI threat and crumbling economies: "The oldest profession will be the last profession." If some of them want to move to the US right now, from currently healthier countries, one…

The decline of the US means that there will be increasingly fewer deep-pocketed customers able to pay 5 figures for anything.

Those who come to the US with enough money on the bank will have access to a lifestyle and experiences that are becoming more and more exclusive, which makes for great content for the peasant class to consume on their phones.

Re: Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating U.S. O-1 visa requests

#222
post #9

Such articles are interesting because they're tacit disapproval, but I would argue that this use of the O-1 is the most American way to use it. There's a reason why Hollywood became the Earth's center of cultural gravity post-WW2, https://goldenglobes.com/articles/exiles-and-emigres-hollywo... You may argue that these people aren't of such import, but I would beg to differ. This is the future of culture. These people…

The argument from cinema is flaky and a moral critique of Hollywood's influence is unavoidable. But we're talking about porn here, not cinema. This is decadence and depravity. How can you confuse cinema with the construction of an international whoredom? The numbers are also incommensurate. And TikTok is the antithesis of culture. It's consumerist rubbish that encourages a vapid, thoughtless, and illiterate consumpti…

What's the difference between Hollywood popcorn films and corn?

Re: Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating U.S. O-1 visa requests

#223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't that argument just a form of the sunk cost fallacy?

Only if you demonise the adult entertainment industry, which I wasn’t.

That's a non sequiter. You said the "ship has sailed", so we shouldn't attempt to reset norms.

Re: Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating U.S. O-1 visa requests

#224
post #26
post #18

"Whoever knowingly transports any individual in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or Possession of the United States, with intent that such individual engage in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both"

Filming porn isn't prostitution nor a sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense. Hope this helps.

I think it's naïve to think that these girls are only very strictly selling feet images and are not in the business of having sex for money as well.

Especially when you consider the top-heavy success distribution. Sure there's influencers that have 100M views, but theres thousands of influencers with 300 views, are they going to be just happy with selling pictures for 10 bucks? Or will they follow the whales until they are paid to be flown into the prostitution assembly line, with or without visas.

Re: Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating U.S. O-1 visa requests

#225
post #18

"Whoever knowingly transports any individual in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or Possession of the United States, with intent that such individual engage in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both"

You see comrade, the government represents all of us, so when the government deems something beneficial and worth doing we all benefit /s Me dumping oil on the ground -> bad. megacorp paying some engineers to make up a number for just how much oil is ok to dump on the ground and paying for government permission -> good Diddy flying hoes around -> bad OF models paying the .gov to fly around -> good (I'm joking here, b…

>OF models paying the .gov to fly around -> good

Yes, with Republican govs, they can pay the government directly for a Golden Visa.

But with Democrat governments it's a bit more fair, they have to pay an immigration lawyer at 300$/hr with John money to get in instead. /s

At least it's better than them going in with a B1 visa and doing whatever.

Sorry for the politics dang.

Re: Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating U.S. O-1 visa requests

#226
post #196
post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i mean you said it yourself, the internet is global. those few thousand can have impressions of hundreds of millions. whether they do their cam shows abroad or local matters little. it's the inherent incentivization approved by a government that leads to deeper cultural erosion. if you're in a poor country with no access to education, and your only way into the US is porn, then that's what will ultimately win, rather…

Sex sells and everybody knows that. Why should the government use antiquated-at-best moral codes to discriminate against people who will increase the global influence of the country? Cultural exportation and exploitation have been key to US soft power for nearly a century.

crack also sells, amongst many other things that are inherently horrible for broad modern society.

> Why should the government use antiquated-at-best moral codes to discriminate against people who will increase the global influence of the country

this is a very loaded statement that assumes that everyone is in agreement that proliferating and rewarding cam models is some kind of inherent good. there's nothing antiquated morally with simply not rewarding it. i'm not stating to ban it outright. there's always use in it at the long tail of society

Re: Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating U.S. O-1 visa requests

#227
post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> A streamer / OF [may not have to be in person] From what I understand about OF, it's not just people posting lewds, sometimes there are other actors in the media. Having access to established actors and uh... "collaborating" with them would require being there in person I would guess.

As I understand it [1], usually if you try to cross the border declaring you intend to engage in sex work, they turn you away. Some combination of prudishness and concern about trafficking. For there to be a special sex worker visa is a surprise, to me. [1] https://www.pace-society.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/3194...

It's strange, but is it really surprising? It's not like hypocrisy and moat building are new things in American politics.

These days I wouldn't even be surprised to discover it was intentional. Some person or group wanted to ensure they could engage in sex trafficking with a superficially legal cover, but didn't want it to actually be legal.

Re: Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating U.S. O-1 visa requests

#228
post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I know from news articles is that some of them openly "escort", like some traditional porn stars did more quietly. The fame on the screen can be brand-building for the even more lucrative in-person work. As one said in a quote, regarding AI threat and crumbling economies: "The oldest profession will be the last profession." If some of them want to move to the US right now, from currently healthier countries, one…

The decline of the US means that there will be increasingly fewer deep-pocketed customers able to pay 5 figures for anything. Those who come to the US with enough money on the bank will have access to a lifestyle and experiences that are becoming more and more exclusive, which makes for great content for the peasant class to consume on their phones.

> The decline of the US means that there will be increasingly fewer deep-pocketed customers able to pay 5 figures for anything.

Those at the top are doing very well, it's those without access to capital who are struggling. America in decline looks like a bifurcated economy where low-paying jobs catering to the desires of the wealthy take up an increasingly large share of the economy. You can decide for yourself to what extent this is already happening.

Re: Influencers and OnlyFans models are dominating U.S. O-1 visa requests

#229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are all transactions on OF inherently a parasocial relationship? If a dude wants to jerk his schmeat to somebody he thinks is attractive, and pays for access to the media without otherwise engaging, is that parasocial?

You could do that for free. Most are obviously looking for more. It kind of sounds like you are trying to justify whatever it is you are doing, in which case you do you. I don't actually care what you do and neither should you care what I think.

> You could do that for free. Most are obviously looking for more.

And everyone can use Pornhub for free, yet Pornhub still makes money on their premium subscriptions. Are those also parasocial relationships?

> It kind of sounds like you are trying to justify whatever it is you are doing, in which case you do you.

You know I thought about putting the obligatory "I don't use OF" in my first comment, but felt it wouldn't be necessary. I see that it was; by the way have you stopped beating your wife?

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