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Yeah the damage is mostly due to piracy from the free porn tube sites. Who then ironically bought out the big studios and bullied many independent producers into relying on them for any tangible (converting) traffic. This also reduced the shoot volume/budgets and in turn narrowed the market.

That time transformed the mainstream industry completely and irreversibly. Big profits are still being made, probably even more so. It just happens out of the valley and far away from the people who actually produce and perform. The majority of porn revenue is funneled to those premium monopoly owned subscription sites and through ad sales on their tube free tube sites.

On the bright side there has also never been so many other opportunities for models to shoot, own and distribute their content online. They can be smart with their social media influence, get into affiliate marketing and branding to promote their own independent revenue streams. Not having to accept lower scene rates or venture into more riskier activities if they don't want to.

Camming can also be a huge player, there's much less health risks, they can work from home and it puts the models back in charge of their income. So in that sense there's never been a better opportunity to make it.. "it" just takes a helluva lot more time, effort and entrepreneurship.

I guess it comes down to values and how much one wants whatever it is they want right?