HATS OFF TO MFC: The end of pirated streams?

[JerryBoBerry]

how is MFC blocking legitimate viewers?

I can answer that one a bit more clearly than the other response, because it happened to me with this whole change. I started seeing those same 'suspicious activity' messages as soon as they implemented them because I use a VPN. The servers I use are almost always in the U.S., but some times rarely in Canada as well. Most every server got blocked all at once. It's possible the people doing screen recordings went through the same VPN service I use and were thus cycling through all the same server I.P. addresses, thus getting them blocked. But most likely, MFC initially paid a service to get a published list of known VPN server addresses and just started out by blocking all of them.

I use a VPN for security, have done so for many years. In fact I could probably count the times my computer has been powered on without a VPN actively running in the past 7 years on one hand. I just don't do anything without it on. My ISP, and other servers traffic is routed through, has no need to know what I do on the internet. So, this kind of annoyed me when I started getting blocked on MFC. I contacted customer support within a day of it starting. I already knew why, and I couldn't disagree with their reasoning for doing so, but I let them know they were messing up regular customers as well. They gave me the standard canned reply, "my IP address had suspicious activity." It took about ten days of continuous emails and explaining the VPN I use has pooled IP addresses, which means all the legitimate customers would be on the same addresses as those pirating video, before I finally was able to start seeing room video normally again.

They never did expressly say they would do anything, but I suspect MFC finally implemented some sort of bypass for legitimate customers. Maybe individually looking at how much has been spent, or some sort of other activity. Something they could manually check to say that person isn't actually recording shows. Once I started seeing rooms normally again I've not seen that blocked message once since.

So yeah, regular customers did/are getting caught up in it too. I suspect many will have to complain quite a bit like I did before it's fixed for them, or they'll move on to some other site like I was contemplating.

 

[Lelo1]

VPNs are also used by stalkers and trolls to bypass bans.
It will be interesting to see where this goes.

 

[Deleted member 37064]

That would be relatively easy to reduce by only allowing token transfers between accounts belonging to the same person. That members can send tokens to other members without any kind of verification is unique to mfc unless I'm wrong. On cb in order to receive tokens members need to go through the age verification process.

While I agree that allowing token transfers only between accounts owned by the same person is a good idea. I really only see a slight reduction in trading of videos. Reason why is that there was never any discussion of tokens being a part of the trade for those who reached out to me. Video for video.

 

[dark_mermaid]

While I agree that allowing token transfers only between accounts owned by the same person is a good idea. I really only see a slight reduction in trading of videos. Reason why is that there was never any discussion of tokens being a part of the trade for those who reached out to me. Video for video.

It's why I said reduce and not stop. It's certainly not my business but doesn't have that function have some money laundry potential too?

 

[Mila_]

It's why I said reduce and not stop. It's certainly not my business but doesn't have that function have some money laundry potential too?

It’s capped at 200 tokens per day so it would have to be a hood crack slinger doing the laundering

 

[callmepete]

Actually it starts out at 1000tk a day now, it used to be 200. I think the last time I looked I was up to 2000 a day I could transfer. Doesn't diminish your point, though, that's still not much laundering lol.

 

[snowwolf87]

Actually it starts out at 1000tk a day now, it used to be 200. I think the last time I looked I was up to 2000 a day I could transfer. Doesn't diminish your point, though, that's still not much laundering lol.

One of my accounts has a 10K a day limit. Still doesn't diminish the main point.

There are other good reasons to transfer tokens to a different member, though. The best is to help "poorer" members participate in tipping. One of my favorite models has a regular that can't afford much, but she (yes, she) is always fun in the room. I and others sometimes transfer tokens to her, knowing she'll tip them in the room - and she does. The model still gets the tokens and it makes for a more cheerful room.

 

[dark_mermaid]

*sigh* (sorry). There is no ONE solution to trading private shows. Just because this one measure doesn't end it, doesn't mean, this one thing (restricting token transfers to accounts belonging to the same person or having the receiving user submit his id to the site) is useless.

Will mfc's actions prevent recording public shows? It won't.

Does it still make sense to make it harder? It does (piss them off as hard as you can).

Will cb's attempts to make viewer bots less influential on cb ensure no one tries or succeeds in rigging their placement algo? It won't.

Is it worth investing in it? It is (imo).

 

[AmberCutie]

I'd be upset as a model and a member if token transfers were limited. Not worth it, won't help enough to justify doing something that drastic.

 

[dark_mermaid]

Wow, now I'm interested, why is this important?

 

[AmberCutie]

Wow, now I'm interested, why is this important?

There are other good reasons to transfer tokens to a different member, though. The best is to help "poorer" members participate in tipping. One of my favorite models has a regular that can't afford much, but she (yes, she) is always fun in the room. I and others sometimes transfer tokens to her, knowing she'll tip them in the room - and she does. The model still gets the tokens and it makes for a more cheerful room.

^^There's a huge one. I have a very community driven room, and this happens very often.

Also for the mega tips that happen in some rooms, many members pool together to make it one big bomb from the group.

These are fun aspects of MFC that make it unique, among other very social/community driven things.

 

[callmepete]

Also for the mega tips that happen in some rooms, many members pool together to make it one big bomb from the group.

I just came her to chime in with this, thought of it after the fact. We do this a LOT for birthdays, cammiversaries, things like that.

 

[dark_mermaid]

Wow, that surely takes a lot of trust in the receiving member if it is for an unusually big tip.

 

[AmberCutie]

Wow, that surely takes a lot of trust in the receiving member if it is for an unusually big tip.

In rooms where the groups are tight, it's usually members that have interacted with each other for a number of years. There's a level of trust that's shared in groups like those. I have members that know each other's personal info, exchange snapchats/twitters with them. They send handfuls of tokens to each other to join shows if they're unable to tip that day, etc.

I know it might be difficult for a model or member to understand if they're not in a room like that. But it happens. And it is very common on MFC vs any other site, I'd imagine.

The idea of exchanging that aspect and ability for the tiniest chance it'll stop the tiniest percentage of video sharing is unfathomable for me.

 

[AmberCutie]

I just came her to chime in with this, thought of it after the fact. We do this a LOT for birthdays, cammiversaries, things like that.

One of my cammiversaries, Ginnypotter had her room xfer a ton to her premium account and then bombed me, it was so awesome!

 

[callmepete]

Wow, that surely takes a lot of trust in the receiving member if it is for an unusually big tip.

You can track the transfers on the token transfer wall anyway. If they do anything shady then at least you can prove you contributed. I'm not as big on the social aspect of MFC TBH, but I've contributed countless times this way for the few models I support there and never had a single issue. Nor have I ever heard of it being an issue for anyone.

 

[SaffronBurke]

It's why I said reduce and not stop. It's certainly not my business but doesn't have that function have some money laundry potential too?

Only a fool would attempt to money launder through a camsite, you'd lose so much that it's not really worth it in the end.

 

[AmberCutie]

Only a fool would attempt to money launder through a camsite, you'd lose so much that it's not really worth it in the end.

I wonder what MilaMilan has to say about it... has her book come out yet?

 

[Mila_]

Only a fool would attempt to money launder through a camsite, you'd lose so much that it's not really worth it in the end.

Not really... if you use the affiliate program and hire someone to pose as a model you only lose about 10% which definitely beats hiding your paper money in ditches and trying to buy condos in cash.

The same logic that applies to self tippers:
Buy in bulk so you spend .82
Get .50 back for being a model
Get .20 back from the affiliate program
Total cost: .12
Do it through CB and it’s only .09

Edit: I am not saying people launder money through camsites... I don’t know or care... my point is that it would make sense financially to do this in a hypothetical scenario. The main problem is getting the cash in the card to begin with so you can buy tokens. I am guessing camsites would be more useful to move money among accounts especially across countries or continents rather than to put cash into the banking system.

 

[Nigerian Prince]

Not really... if you use the affiliate program and hire someone to pose as a model you only lose about 10% which definitely beats hiding your paper money in ditches and trying to buy condos in cash.

The same logic that applies to self tippers:
Buy in bulk so you spend .82
Get .50 back for being a model
Get .20 back from the affiliate program
Total cost: .12
Do it through CB and it’s only .09

Edit: I am not saying people launder money through camsites... I don’t know or care... my point is that it would make sense financially to do this in a hypothetical scenario. The main problem is getting the cash in the card to begin with so you can buy tokens. I am guessing camsites would be more useful to move money among accounts especially across countries or continents rather than to put cash into the banking system.

You know, I did the exact same math, but thought posting it would look suspicious lol. But tbh you could just buy crypto with cash through various crypto ATMs, if you live in the right cities or in person, and buy tokens for about .80. Now that I think about it, someone could just launder money through a studio pretty easily...

 

[Deleted member 37064]

In rooms where the groups are tight, it's usually members that have interacted with each other for a number of years. There's a level of trust that's shared in groups like those. I have members that know each other's personal info, exchange snapchats/twitters with them. They send handfuls of tokens to each other to join shows if they're unable to tip that day, etc.

I know it might be difficult for a model or member to understand if they're not in a room like that. But it happens. And it is very common on MFC vs any other site, I'd imagine.

The idea of exchanging that aspect and ability for the tiniest chance it'll stop the tiniest percentage of video sharing is unfathomable for me.

I've been in some top model rooms as a regular over the years, while we did have each other on twitter, SC, etc. I never saw this happen in regards to tips. Most usually just tried to coordinate that the regular members saved up for special event such as a birthday, etc so that we'd do a train of tips. Some rooms were still very guarded in regards to certain things.

 

[MousyLion]

Do it through CB and it’s only .09

Actually, the percent lost for CB will be 16.7%, (16.71875 to be exact). The .2 back from the affiliate program is from money spent , e.g. with 160$ spent (>price for 2025tk), the model gets 133.25$ [=101.25$ (from the tokens)+ 32$ from the affiliate program(0.2x160$)]

But even 16.7% lost might be acceptable for some purposes