Before entering fully into the establishment of the meaning of webcam, it is necessary to know the etymological origin of the two words that give it its shape:
-Cam, in the first place, is a word that derives from Greek. Specifically, it comes from “kamára”.
-Web, secondly, it is a term that comes from the English “web”, which is synonymous with “mesh” or “network”.
According to DigoPaul, the term camera has multiple uses. On this occasion we are interested in its meaning as the device that allows taking photographs. Web, for its part, is a concept that refers to a computer network.
The notion of webcam alludes to the camera type digital that connects to a computer (PC) to record and transmit images via Internet. This transmission can be done privately (between two or more computers) or public (by spreading the photos on a website or social network).
Web cameras are a technological evolution of the first cameras. Early cameras captured and recorded photos on chemical film: then said roll or reel had to be developed, a process that allowed the images to be put on paper. The photos, in short, were stored printed on a material support.
With the advancement of computing came digital cameras: unlike analog cameras, in this case photos are saved as digital data. That is why they can be viewed on computers or televisions without the need to print them.
Web cameras, in this framework, are digital cameras specially designed to work connected to a computer with Internet access. They are generally used for videoconferencing and live broadcasting. Web cameras are also used for surveillance tasks.
In addition to all the above, we have to point out that it has also become an essential tool in many cases for famous youtubers or bloggers.
Beyond these uses, webcams can also record photos that are stored on the computer. This means that a user can take a picture, save the image and then send it by email, for example.
In the same way, it must be borne in mind that the existence of webcams has led to the emergence of a new way of having sex. It is called cybersex or virtual sex and basically consists of two people making a video call to be able to become intimate. Raunchy conversations, being naked and even masturbation are the mainstays of this kind of “next generation” intimate relationship.
This type of sex satisfies many, many people and becomes a way for couples who are far apart to keep the flame of passion alive to a certain extent.
However, it is no less true that a business has even been created around this type of sex. Thus there are men and women who open their channels or web pages and earn money by showing themselves naked or having sex through a webcam.