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        Sexchatters' Rights

        (Wired News) A German court ruled Thursday that people paid to
        talk in the Internet's swelling number of sex chatrooms should
        enjoy the same rights as other workers. The court rejected a
        German online firm's argument that the "immorality" of the work
        should exempt the company from having to pay social security
        contributions. A judge ruled the morality of the services, which
        employ mostly women, was irrelevant. The company is now liable
        for more than $461,900 to cover contributions for workers it
        said were self-employed freelancers, but who the court decided
        are employees. Workers are paid according to the frequency and
        length of their one-to-one erotic conversations. In Germany,
        even mainstream Internet portals are awash with links to
        subscription-based websites promising such delights as "live
        chats with hundreds of the hottest girls." Since most firms
        running these sites employ staff on a similar freelance basis,
        Thursday's ruling could spawn new claims.


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