Editor, Daily Nexus,

We in the UCSB administration have no desire to monitor or regulate your private lives. We do, however, believe you should be warned about an exploitative new “business” practice that might impact you or your peers – reality pornography companies that target college communities across the nation. These companies, which have made their way to the Isla Vista area, exploit college students – both male and female – by making videos for profit that include footage of students in various stages of nudity and engaged in sexual activity with each other and with pornography professionals. We understand that one method of securing participants is for a company to “rent” a student apartment for a “party” and to supply alcohol to help encourage behavior that will provide marketable footage.

Please be aware that these films may be distributed on the Internet, in adult video stores and in pornography outlets. They can – and likely will – be kept in circulation for many years. Also, outtakes from these films can appear in legitimate media and news outlets – e.g., magazines, newspapers and national news and entertainment programming. Anyone participating in these films should expect that family members, prospective employers and others might be able to recognize them in these outtakes. This has been the case for students from other campuses. All this is said to remind you that decisions you make now, which may seem harmless enough, can negatively impact your career, reputation and life forever.

Let’s be clear: These films are pornography for sale, and these companies are exploiting students for their profit. We need your help in discouraging the exploitation of students in our community and would appreciate your contacting Associate Dean of Students Debbie Fleming (893-4094) or Assistant to the Dean of Students Candace Stevenson (893-4521) in the Office of Student Life, or the Isla Vista Foot Patrol (681-4179), if you are approached by one of these companies.