Should pros be allowed to message (advertise) to enthusiasts?
It’s a specific rule for pros. We aren’t allowed to. If someone looks at our profile, then we are allowed to reach out but pros are not allowed to cold call. If they do, you can report that.
A pro messaging you doesnt necessarily mean they are advertising. I've made some great connections with people I call friends that way , both pro and non pro alike . Not all pros are here to be social, but some are , and I am sure it is discouraging and hurtful to those who are dismissed as drumming up business for being friendly. Like they should only be seen and not heard.
NO!
Professionals advertising at enthusiasts is not a nuiscance, it's direct, explicit abuse.
Absolutely not. I am appalled at the suggestion. It's horrifying. It's a direct attack on the very principles of cuddling, and the basis of what this website is for.
(@pmvines' point, that professionals can and should message enthusiasts for other reasons in the normal course of social interaction on a social media website, is obviously correct. It's the advertising - implicit or explicit - that's the problem.)
The rule exists to protect the vulnerable. Why would you want to undermine that?
I don't have a problem with it. It's nice to sometimes get offered sessions instead of always having to be the one to look for people and initiate it. It gets tiring to always have to be the one to initiate as an enthusiast. If you are not interested, you can just kindly tell them no thank you. I don't see the problem if pros want to do that.
@pmvines good points 👍
Also I think it’s cool when professional cuddlers use the cuddle request/ pro request tabs to let us know more about them. It’s a cool feature here on CC without the direct individual to individual advertising concerns 😊
I didn't know this was a rule for pro's. This happens so often I actually had to include no solicitors in my profile.
@OhioMike yes you're right. I've often thought about how we can make the Pro Request board in particular more useful and more used.
@Nickoli please Report them. They won't get banned or anything for a first offence, just reminded of the rule and asked not to do it again. The mods can see the message trail so there can't be any arguments over who said what to whom.
@AGnihon I get that you don't mind, and that's fair enough. To be honest, I don't really mind either but then it's rare over here.
But a surprising proportion of the people on CC are vulnerable in one way or another, and it's not ok for some of them. Some men have severe trauma around touch. For example, one of the most poignant moments I have observed at a cuddle workshop was a man who left in tears before we had even started. Such people need and deserve protection from the various classes of abusive and predatory 'professionals'. (They may or may not benefit from help from the various classes of amazing and wonderful professionals.)
OMG it’s the end of all humanity and the universe if a pro messages me first. It’s more horrible than Genocide! All kidding aside. It’s no big deal to me if someone does. If I want to respond then I will if not then I won’t. If it’s against the rules then pros shouldn’t but really some people make everything like it’s the end of the world. Smoke some pipe weed as the hobbits do and drink some ice tea and listen tk some relaxing music. It wil be fine!
Kinda seeing some hardline opinions here. Pretty surprising. Perhaps my experiences are a little different. I do get the occasional person saying if I am interested in a session to let them know after I visit their profile, however I find a majory of pros who I comverse with on here are people who we both know will likely never meet , if so then perhaps for coffee or an In person hug and hello. I welcome the interaction because I'm mostly on here to goof off with the plethora of cool humans , pro or non pro alike. Those who have no interest in conversing apart from business are pretty clear in their words and actions. And my lack of response, or thanks but no thanks , lets them know as well . It's not that deep.
There's a loophole in there that pros can message someone once if they get a profile visit from that person and people in the forums click on each other's profiles all the time without knowing if they're a pro first.
I had no idea it was explicitly outlined to NOT message enthusiasts. Honestly, I wouldn't mind. If a pro was looking for more clientele and wanted to advertise a deal they were offering, or give a small look as their personality/kindness.
Might as well start getting upset at pros for being on the forums too . That can also be considered a passive form of advertising, particularly the ones who are like hey , I'm gonna be in Dallas in July , what are some good food spots type posts . In all honesty , how upset do people really need to get over something ? Seems like a lot of over thinking and a lot of upset.
Only had it happen once or twice. Never bothered me. Getting a message brightens my day.
Yes! I've met or had wonderful chats with some amazing pros who initiated contact that I might not have otherwise considered reaching out to. Can't imagine why this would be a problem, what with the invention of the delete button 🙂
Everytime I see a message notification it’s pretty sweet! Regardless of whom it is
@pmvines well said!! I messaged you first to say how cute your picture was with Ohio Mike at the Las Vegas meet and greet. If we lived in the same town I don’t think I would be bold enough or I don’t think it would be right for me to say hay you want to cuddle. But I do think it’s bold enough to say hey do you want to meet for coffee.
@KozyKim why is @pmvines always the “cute “ one ? What about me , like cute like dog shelter / adoption cute ? 😂
I think if you look back in your messages I said the same thing about you. I said it to both of you. You were equally as cute!!!
You’re funny @Ohio Mike
"Nobody ever messages me 😔"
Hey how are you doing?
"Ugh go away pro cuddler how dare you message me "
I’m not a therapist…but if the trauma is truly that bad (re: some are so vulnerable that they breakdown even without any sort of touching happening), I would suggest that seeking out other forms of treatment that are not touch related/intimate before spending time on this site or with professional cuddlers.
I think to make blanket claims about professionals as abusive/predatory is simply not accurate or fair, especially to the many pros here who do conduct themselves with courtesy, respect, and professionalism.
EDIT: I see that it was acknowledged that not all pros are abusive or predatory. But I think it’s still unfair to punish the many for the bad actions of a few.
I also do not think it’s the moderators/site administrators job to protect the “extra vulnerable”. I do feel for, and have deep compassion for those who would fall into this category, but I do not feel that they are owed anything from the site, pros, or anyone else.
As an enthusiast who is interested in hiring (and has hired) pros, I would not mind being "cold called" at all. Perhaps a pro is planning to be in my area, and would like to let me know? I'd appreciate that heads up.
Just a thought here -- is there any technical way to allow enthusiasts the option to "opt-in" to unsolicited messages from professionals? It seems as though there are many of us who don't mind.
@VinDin you dont post often , but I sure love it when you do
@WiserGuy3000 hmmmmm 🤔 pretty good thinking! Like that idea 💡!
I don't mind if I pro contacts me.
I do not mind pro cuddlers messaging me first. If it got to where they all filled my inbox then yes it would start to get annoying.
But it never has been a problem before.
I don't want pros to contact me first. I get my hopes up, look at their profile, and realize that they only really want me for my money. It is actually pretty depressing. Having that little bit of hope torn to shreds. I'd rather hear nothing than be given false hope.
@BenMac So your assumption is that pros don't care about their clients at all? Seems kind of harsh.
I certainly wouldn't mind. I'm terrible at sending opening messages in most situations anyway so it'd probably be a big help tbh 😅
@VinDin Sometimes cuddling is part of the therapy. It depends on the traumas. You can't make blanket statements about that.