A cam model, short for webcam model, is a person who streams live video performances on the internet using a webcam. Cam models often perform erotic acts online, and they can be male or female. They are usually independent contractors for camming sites and are not employees. Camming sites such as MyFreeCams, Camsoda, and Chaturbate allow models to stream live sex shows from their own bedrooms and interact with their viewers in chatroom communities, offering fans an intimate connection with performers playing the role of both porn star and virtual girlfriend. Cam models can earn money by performing in front of a webcam for people on the internet. They can typically charge customers between $1 and $15 per minute, and then the camming site keeps half of the gross while the model gets the rest. Cam models can work by the percentage of business that they bring in, instead of renting studio time. Within some studios, cam models are contracted to work eight hours a day, five days a week. Camming can offer a path toward financial independence for models working at some studios in Romania and Columbia.