February 23, 2007 4:00 AM PST
A social site where Webcams rule
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Flacks said the service is trying to overcome these problems by developing technology to block inappropriate behavior, and by keeping a team of staff that monitors video feeds, alongside warning flags from members. The company has about 40 staff members.
Stickam.com was spawned from L.A.-based Advanced Video Communications, a maker of video conferencing tools for businesses largely in Asian markets. Early last year, Advanced Video built a Flash video player to demonstrate its video capabilities. That tool morphed into Stickam, a so-called "widget" that people can plug into other social networks to enable live video. Eventually, the company decided to build up its own social network to compete with MySpace, Friendster and others.
Flacks said that with its Flash-based player, Stickam can get better quality video feeds. But for now, the company's server base can only handle about 2,000 members streaming live video. Otherwise, its site can crash.
The site has private investors only and no means of revenue, so far. Flacks said that the company is working on developing new and tried business models, including advertising and pay-per-view videos. But, he said, the company is trying to grow its audience first.
The company has early momentum.
Since its launch in February 2005, Stickam has grown its membership to about 400,000 registered users; and it's adding between 3,000 and 4,000 members a day, according to Flacks. (The audience is comprised largely of 14- to 25-year-olds, he said.) Research firm comScore shows that in January, Stickam drew 569,000 unique visitors, up 36 percent from 364,000 in February a year before.
That's just a drop in the bucket compared with MySpace, however; and Stickam only typically hosts a few hundred live Webcam feeds at once. MySpace drew 61.5 million unique visitors in the United States in January, up roughly 42 percent from 35.5 million in January 2006.
Sticking point--child safety
Before Stickam can become the next MySpace, it will likely have to answer to child safety advocates, much like its predecessor had to. Under fire from legislators and parent groups for not going far enough to protect minors from predators, MySpace and others have answered critics by planning new technologies, instilling restrictive policies and hiring a chief security officer.
One of those policies has been to ban members from adding Stickam's code to MySpace pages--code that would give users video chat capabilities.
"All MySpace features and functionalities run through our safety and security teams in order to review product implications that may affect the safe user experience," MySpace Chief Security Officer Hemanshu Nigam said in an e-mail statement. "Since October 2006, we have not allowed our users to link to the Stickam service and have not implemented video chat features, given the potential safety implications such services have on our global community."
Stephen Balkam, founding CEO of the association Family Online Safety Institute, described some of those concerns. They include no surefire method of enforcing age minimums in the community and, more important, of policing what happens in live video feeds.
"While the site posts a number of safety notices, it doesn't appear to have much in the way of monitoring or take down of the more objectionable language, content and 'acting out,'" Balkam said.
Much the way JenniCam did in 1996, Stickam is challenging notions of personal privacy and freedoms, and causing people to ask new questions, like how to teach kids to handle themselves in these new environments.
"Looking real time into another person's life while also watching others looking, texting and calling in is pretty mind-blowing, and we have to run to catch up with how we talk to our kids about such sites," Balkham said.
See more CNET content tagged:
video feed,
MySpace,
News Corp.,
corporate governance,
social networking
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That is pathetic!!
That is pathetic!!
Or at least that's how it seems! I'm on Stickam fairly regularly and it's a ton of fun, but holy crap there are a lot of guys on there that just want to whip out their dongs for any and all to see!
Now, before everyone gets all worked up about the "lack of security" and all that, I think that Stickam's very model actually gives it a HUGE leg up over Myspace and similar sites on that front. When a 30 y/o guy gets on his webcam and starts chatting with a 14 y/o girl, the girl KNOWS that he's 30! What's more, by being able to SEE the people's she's talking to, this 14 y/o girl is MUCH more able to pick out who the pervs are!
In any case, I'd highly recommend Stickam to anyone looking for a FUN social networking site. I have a Myspace account to but find that it's mostly just a bunch of emo kids having a competition to get the most "friends". Stickam is actually about talking to people and having a good time! Yes, there are LOTS of pervs on there (and not just men, I've come across some very pervy women too.. they're just a bit sneakier about it!), but they're very easy to deal with. Just set 'em on "ignore", kick or ban them or if they're whipping their wangs out for no good reason, click the little flag to report them to the Stickam police. Or you can just do what most of the rest of us do and either ridicule them for their perviness when it's not appropriate or join them when it is!
Or at least that's how it seems! I'm on Stickam fairly regularly and it's a ton of fun, but holy crap there are a lot of guys on there that just want to whip out their dongs for any and all to see!
Now, before everyone gets all worked up about the "lack of security" and all that, I think that Stickam's very model actually gives it a HUGE leg up over Myspace and similar sites on that front. When a 30 y/o guy gets on his webcam and starts chatting with a 14 y/o girl, the girl KNOWS that he's 30! What's more, by being able to SEE the people's she's talking to, this 14 y/o girl is MUCH more able to pick out who the pervs are!
In any case, I'd highly recommend Stickam to anyone looking for a FUN social networking site. I have a Myspace account to but find that it's mostly just a bunch of emo kids having a competition to get the most "friends". Stickam is actually about talking to people and having a good time! Yes, there are LOTS of pervs on there (and not just men, I've come across some very pervy women too.. they're just a bit sneakier about it!), but they're very easy to deal with. Just set 'em on "ignore", kick or ban them or if they're whipping their wangs out for no good reason, click the little flag to report them to the Stickam police. Or you can just do what most of the rest of us do and either ridicule them for their perviness when it's not appropriate or join them when it is!
do we get our repertoiry revues of the classics
featured?
do we get our repertoiry revues of the classics
featured?
not need to re-enter twice. The password is
masked when you try to login though.
not need to re-enter twice. The password is
masked when you try to login though.
This is Video chat.
Web sites that offered Video chat have been around for ions. Well since 1997 and onward.
Man VCs and their Big Media partners must be
becoming desperate Hyping one not new idea after another not new idea! 1st it was MySpace which is pretty much same as Geocities & Tripod were/are, then there is 2nd life which is/was pretty much like many other 3D chat worlds of 1990s and now this!
What next? A site that offers email to masses for free!
VCs want to offer the people something new useful?
Offer cars that get 100 Miles per hour, Flights were coach costs same as 1st class does, Home & Health insurance
that is easily available and affordable, Search engine Advertising that is not expensive and a total waste of money as Advertising on Google or Yahoo are, etc.
Not these childish Web sites which have been done many times since late 90s with the only thing they offer new is that they are free
and have Web 2.0 Font & look & feel
This is Video chat.
Web sites that offered Video chat have been around for ions. Well since 1997 and onward.
Man VCs and their Big Media partners must be
becoming desperate Hyping one not new idea after another not new idea! 1st it was MySpace which is pretty much same as Geocities & Tripod were/are, then there is 2nd life which is/was pretty much like many other 3D chat worlds of 1990s and now this!
What next? A site that offers email to masses for free!
VCs want to offer the people something new useful?
Offer cars that get 100 Miles per hour, Flights were coach costs same as 1st class does, Home & Health insurance
that is easily available and affordable, Search engine Advertising that is not expensive and a total waste of money as Advertising on Google or Yahoo are, etc.
Not these childish Web sites which have been done many times since late 90s with the only thing they offer new is that they are free
and have Web 2.0 Font & look & feel
What the hell?!
A friend of mine sent me the link to this **** saying I was on news.com.
Didn't believe him until I actually read it.
Made me literally LOL.
Anyway...Shouldn't you have asked my permission to quote me?
I mean...It's alright...But still. Would have been nice for some kind of notification.
http://www.stickam.com/profile/nataliemuffin
Stop by sometime.
As long as you're not 30 or over.
Bahahaha.
- I'M NATALIEMUFFIN(TM)!
-
by nataliemuffin
October 29, 2007 4:55 PM PDT
- Bahaha.
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See all 22 Comments >>What the hell?!
A friend of mine sent me the link to this **** saying I was on news.com.
Didn't believe him until I actually read it.
Made me literally LOL.
Anyway...Shouldn't you have asked my permission to quote me?
I mean...It's alright...But still. Would have been nice for some kind of notification.
http://www.stickam.com/profile/nataliemuffin
Stop by sometime.
As long as you're not 30 or over.
Bahahaha.