OnlyFans Bans Sexually Explicit Content And Sex Workers Are Worried For Their Future

By Quinny Tan  •  in News
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OnlyFans was originally created for paid content sharing, similar to platforms like Patreon, where content creators can offer exclusive content to their audience.

But we all know what it’s really for.

On Thursday evening, 19 August 2021, the arguably controversial platform announced that it would start banning sexually explicit content on the site from October.

Many sex workers helped popularise OnlyFans, and now some might say their future on the platform is uncertain, grappling with the sudden blow of potentially losing their incomes and access to the fans who have paid their bills.

OnlyFans creator, who goes by the name of Maya Morena, said she joined OnlyFans about four years ago and worked incredibly hard to build up a fanbase on the platform. She said she was able to transition from doing full-service sex work — meeting clients in person — to her earnings from OnlyFans supporting her.

 

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“During Covid, I just stopped (full-service sex work) completely because it became too dangerous. This was the best month I’ve had on OnlyFans, and now it is basically ruined.”

Another creator under the moniker ‘Siri Dahl’, joined OnlyFans in late 2019 and said that by early 2020 the site had become her primary income. Fast forward to earlier this year, Dahl said she was able to buy her first home with the money she’d made on OnlyFans.

 

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A post shared by Siri Dahl (@thesiridahl)

Although there are a host of other sites and services, OnlyFans has a simple, easy-to-use interface, a reasonable revenue share with the site collecting 20%, and a buzz factor.

“The simple fact, in my experience, is that no other platform has the level of traffic that OnlyFans has come to have, especially during the pandemic,” Dahl said. “It went absolutely hog wild during the pandemic,” says Dahl.

Here’s some reactions to the ban:

However, the question remains, “why?”

A report from Axios claimed that leaked documents reveal OnlyFans’ struggle to draw in investors. This is despite being on track to make USD$12.5 billion in gross value next year.

In a separate report, internal documents that were disclosed to BBC News revealed that OnlyFans now allows moderators to give multiple warnings to accounts that post illegal content on its online platform before deciding to close them.

Some even say that it’s due to the fact that Mastercard Inc. had decided to change the requirements it sets for banks that process payments for “sellers of adult content.”

Starting in October, the company will prohibit creators from posting material with sexually explicit conduct on its website, which many sex workers use to sell fans explicit content. Users will still be allowed to put up nude photos and videos, provided they’re consistent with OnlyFans’ policy.

“In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of our platform, and continue to host an inclusive community of creators and fans, we must evolve our content guidelines,” OnlyFans said.

Alright, girlies. You can still get that bread, under moderation.

 

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