[2] The introduction of Polaroid cameras in 1948 allowed amateurs to self-produce pornographic photographs immediately and without the need for sending them to a film processor, who might have reported them as violations of obscenity laws.
These have enabled people to take private photos and then share the images almost instantly, without the need for expensive distribution, and this has resulted in an ever-growing variety and quantity of material.
The general public has become more aware in recent years of the potential dangers to teenagers or children, who may be unaware of the consequences, using their camera phones to make videos and images which are then shared amongst their friends, as in sexting.
[6] Several people who sent their tapes to Homegrown Video became professional porn stars, including Stephanie Swift, Melissa Hill, Rayveness,[7] and Meggan Mallone.
[12][13] Amateur porn has also influenced the rise of the celebrity sex tape, featuring stars like Scott Stapp, Kid Rock,[14] Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton, and Kim Kardashian.
[2] Due to the popularity of social networks, people can also connect with other amateur porn enthusiasts to discuss and share their sex life on platforms solely for this purpose.
There are sites with an open or "closed until verification" community where people can freely share their own pictures or watch amateurs videos directly from those who record them.
[citation needed] The advent of amateur and self-produced pornography has given rise to civil suits and newly identified and defined criminal activity.
So called "revenge porn" gained awareness in the late 2000s in the press through initial lawsuits by victims who had images and video of them either nude or in intimate acts posted on the internet.
However, with the rise of Web 2.0 ventures and amateur pornography, websites based upon the YouTube platform of user-generated content and video sharing have become highly popular.