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HotScope Proves Periscope Is Still Popular — For Porn, Anyway

Livestream leak site HotScope is devoted to nudity and adult content from Periscope and Snapchat, but like other ‘amateur’ sites, the origins of the content are suspicious

On the internet, if you build it, they will use it for porn. Periscope, the livestreaming platform created by Twitter, is no exception. Despite the popularity of Twitch and Instagram Live for streaming, websites like HotScope are becoming increasingly popular for distributing leaked adult content originating from Periscope specifically. But like ThotHub and DirtyShip, NSFW videos from Periscope may be similarly distributed nonconsensually

Though the Community Guidelines for Periscope prohibit pornographic content of any kind, it appears that tons of streams slip through the cracks. HotScope is almost entirely devoted to these types of videos, screen-recorded by viewers and then uploaded to the site. Exactly who is creating these streams is unclear — usually, the videos on HotScope lack any identifying information, instead referring to the subject as “hot teen” or “girl.” 

However, as Vice reported in 2015, Periscope streams are typically directly connected to a Twitter account. Further, Periscope only removes content for violating the Community Guidelines when a violation has been reported. So, it’s possible that many of these nude livestreams serve as a form of promotion or a means of connecting with fans by adult-content creators with an established identity on Twitter. 

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Or it’s possible that people just like to get naked on Periscope because it’s fun. At very least, this seems to be the angle that HotScope and its viewers are banking on, with titles like “girl teasing all the horny boys on Periscope” and “damn she doesn’t care who sees her titties.” 

HotScope is categorized by porn cataloguing site ThePornDude as an amateur site, ranking 12th out of the top 38 amateur sites listed. “Well, it seems like gone are the day’s [sic] girls were shy, especially about their developing bodies,” ThePornDudes description of HotScope reads. “I can’t blame them however with all the social media and entire community labeling porn stars as the real definition of hot women. Every fucking teen wants the world to witness what a real sauce they are I guess, and that’s why there are lots of quality amateur porn videos and clips on Snapchat and Periscope.” 

While this description is uncritical, it points to one of the more concerning aspects of HotScope: A significant portion of the content on the site is labeled as “teen,” and with no identifying information, it seems impossible to know whether the subjects of these videos are over the age of 18. Though HotScope’s terms obviously prohibit underage content, there is no verification process. In fact, the majority of content uploaded on the site isn’t from the creators themselves. HotScope relies upon user submissions, and though their terms stipulate that the person uploading the content has ownership of it, there is, again, no means of verification. 

Though the presence of nudity on Periscope isn’t itself surprising, its popularity seems unexpected at a time when interest in the platform at large is nearly at its lowest. But despite Periscope’s overall decline, HotScope is bigger than ever, according to Google Trends. Of course, HotScope’s rise fits within the current trend of ThotHub, DirtyShip and other leak-based sites: As adult content is increasingly created and distributed by the performers themselves, the market for bootleg copies continues to grow.

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