In an ideal world, everyone who worked in the adult entertainment industry would feel perfectly comfortable telling his or her family, friends, bankers, barber and partner’s parents what he or she did for a living. I’m sure I’m shocking nobody when I venture the observation that we aren’t living in a perfect world. If you profit off of porn or sex toys or strip clubs or whatever, then you’re going to run across a lot of people who won’t pause in labeling you a bad person. These rash judgments are flawed, of course, but they’re culturally produced and even, to an extent, human nature – while they stem from a combination of jealousy, misinformation, frailty, and even at times a kind of superstition, they can nonetheless affect your life in unfortunate ways.

Considering the response that most adult industry professionals would receive from their local communities should they be open and forthright about the nature of their occupations, there’s certainly nothing wrong with these individuals creating an alternate online identity that shields them from the unwanted scrutiny of others. We’re not talking about an identity that will protect criminals from governmental scrutiny, so if you’re hoping to get some tips here that will help you mask illegal online activities, then I’m happy to disappoint you. Similarly, I highly advise members of this industry not to attempt to hide their work from their partners or spouses, as that’s a recipe for disaster. But there are steps you can take to help ensure that your privacy will be maintained in terms of your next door neighbors, your butcher, your mother in-law… you get the idea. If you’re not comfortable telling these people what you do for a living, then frankly, it should be within your choice to keep them in the dark. Taking a few simple steps to ensure your privacy can go a long way towards a less stressful career in adult entertainment.

STEP 1: SECURE YOUR OFFICE

Many adult industry professionals work from home. Some have children who might invite friends over to the house. Their friends and family sometimes stop by for visits. I know I’m stating the obvious here, but a stack of Hustler magazines on your desk and a signed Jenna Jameson picture on the wall probably isn’t the best idea. Yet securing your office goes beyond the obvious. What kind of paperwork do you leave lying around? Where do you store your check stubs? Do you have an answering machine that will loudly broadcast business messages as they’re being recorded?

Invest in a locking file cabinet immediately, and then remember to actually lock it when you’re not using it. Store your business documents in this lockable file cabinet and don’t leave them out in the open when you’re not working – it only takes one document to blow your cover. You might also consider one of those locking steel cabinets for storing larger items like magazines, or storing those cool yet explicit giveaways you spent so much time collecting from the booths at InterNext.

Don’t forget your computer(s)! If you’re using an updated version of Windows, then your operating system does have some built-in tools that are at your disposal – learn how to use them to create user accounts. Store work-related documents in folders that are only accessible when logged in with your password-protected account – or better yet, play around with disk encryption. Set your screensaver to come on automatically after five minutes of inactivity, and set the screensaver to return to a password prompt when it detects activity – don’t let it return directly to the desktop without first verifying that an authorized user has returned.

And finally, don’t forget to buy a shredder! The last thing you want to do is throw whole, potentially sensitive documents into the trash. Shred anything and everything – just get in the habit. Documents with adult writing on it – like adult domain names or titles of videos or sites – will attract attention, and frankly your business is your own. If a dog tips over your garbage can or the trash dude spills a little in the road, don’t let an unshreded written reminder to renew your registration for “nastyanalcumlickers.com” end up in the hands of a nosy neighbor.

STEP 2: PICK AN INDUSTRY NAME

You will of course be tempted to pick a cool handle, since that’s the industry trend. MasterX or Cool Daddy or Ice Pix or whatever. That’s fine for online business, but you might also want to pick a business name that appears to be your real name. Do you really expect your mail to come addressed to Cool Daddy? If someone is covering your adult business for a news story and wants your “real” name, you’ll be covered. No worries about grandma picking up the local edition of the Times and reading about her darling pornographer grandchild. Well, she can read about you – she just won’t know that it IS you.

If you want to use your business name on your phone account, mailbox, etc., then you can always file a fictitious business name – but beware, this process can result in exposing your true identity to the community, so look into it carefully before making a decision to proceed.

STEP 3: GET A MAILBOX ACCOUNT

Where are you going to receive mail if you work from home? Ever heard of mail ending up in the wrong mailbox? Yeah, so have I. If you are worried about the neighbors – those gossiping bastards that they almost certainly are – then you should avoid receiving business mail at home. While it’s true that most adult companies will use clever, professional-sounding names when sending out mail (who’d have thought?), there’s still the occasional correspondence from some company with a name like Slutz Factory or Chocolate Mommas Content that you might not want falling into the hands of Suzie Homemaker next door.

If you live in a small town, the extra paranoid course of action is to choose a mail service from the town next to yours. Most adult industry pros don’t have to go that far, but some towns are really small – could be that someone working down at the local mailbox store knows who you are! And note that I’m talking about private mailbox services like The UPS Store (formerly Mailboxes Etc.) and NOT local post office boxes. The problem with PO boxes is that occasionally someone will refuse to send mail to a PO box, and nobody will ever be able to send you items like overnight letters that need your signature.

STEP 4: A SEPARATE OFFICE PHONE

You’re going to have to give out your phone number to all kinds of people in this business – don’t make the mistake of giving out your home phone number! Get a separate office phone line with voice mail, and have that bill sent to your mailbox, not your house. You can of course use a cell phone for business if you want – that choice is yours. Just remember, an unblocked phone number may broadcast your name to whoever you call – so either sign up to have your identity blocked for all outgoing calls, or else sign up for a business account so that you can put your business name, and not your personal name, on the bill. One final bit of caution – even if your line is blocked, your personal information will still show when you call 800 numbers.

STEP 5: DEVELOP A COVER STORY

People are nosy, and whenever you meet someone new there’s a very good chance that you’ll be asked what you do for a living. Your family and friends certainly will want to know how you’re paying the bills. Failing to provide an acceptable answer will result in curiosity and speculation, and you don’t want that.

Be prepared to answer inquiries as to what you do for a living. The closest thing you can come up with to reality is your best bet – if you don’t feel like you’re lying then you’ll probably sound more convincing. Adult Webmasters, for example, often say that they design Web sites. Just be careful that you’re prepared to react to those thorough probes into your business affairs. If you tell someone that you’re a model, for example, chances are he or she will want to see some pictures. If you say that you’re a Web site designer, he or she will ask what sites you have designed. Be prepared and sound convincing – once you’ve satisfied someone’s curiosity there’s an excellent chance that he or she will move on to other subjects and lose interest in your occupation.

CONCLUSION

Planning ahead and taking a few vital steps to protect your privacy is important when you work in adult entertainment. You have the right to live your life free from the unwelcome and rash judgments of others – but this is a right you have to seize, because it doesn’t come without effort. If you’re eager to avoid the critical eyes of your family, friends and local community, then take some steps to shield your business activities from their sight – out of sight, out of mind. Yet remember that even the best laid plans of mice and men can sometimes go astray. If you simply can’t accept the possibility that you might someday be exposed as an adult industry professional, then perhaps you’re in the wrong line of work. Think about it!

This article was brought to you in conjunction with YnotMasters Network