Subscription site known for its racy content, OnlyFans will close down if it upholds its ban on sexually explicit content, sex workers and other users have said.
The website which gained popularity during coronavirus pandemic lockdowns on Thursday said it would ban “sexually explicit” content in a new policy starting in October.
People will still be able to post nude content on the site, but the British-based company said it would only be within its “acceptable use policy,” which was still being defined.
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OnlyFans, which has been a long-time favourite of porn stars seeking to earn money from performances, gained popularity during the pandemic, with sex workers connecting online with customers.
However, the platform recently launched a “suitable for work” channel offering videos focused on areas such as fitness, music and cooking, competing with platforms such as Facebook that allow creators to earn money online.
OnlyFans in its statement said the changes were being made in response to concerns from its bankers and investors, as it seeks to broaden its audience beyond adult content to features such as cooking and yoga.
Starting October 1, “OnlyFans will prohibit the posting of any content containing sexually explicit conduct,” a statement said.
It added;
Creators will continue to be allowed to post content containing nudity as long as it is consistent with our Acceptable Use Policy.
The statement did not offer specifics on what OnlyFans will consider sexually explicit content, but noted that it “will be sharing more details in the coming days.”
OnlyFans stressed;
We remain dedicated to our community of 130 million users and over 2 million creators that have earned over $5 billion on our platform.
Full statement from OnlyFans: pic.twitter.com/oiDH8OAUZx
— Dan Primack (@danprimack) August 19, 2021
Although non-sexualised nudity will still be allowed, users of the site have said that is not enough to keep them on it and that they are anxious about what their futures hold.
Furious users blasted the site after it announced the changes to be brought in from October.
Some threatened to move to other platforms while others said they were still figuring out how to deal with the cash hit.
“It will have to be starting up from the bottom and working our way up again,” a 23-year-old known online as Arabella Amyiah said.
She currently earns between £7,000 and £8,000 a month from a network of roughly 1,000 subscribers.
OnlyFans, which was founded in 2016 by Essex businessman Tim Stokely, is predominantly used by sex workers but celebrities, cooks and comedians regularly post on it it to connect with their audiences.
Creators receive 80 per cent commission on their earnings, while the rest goes to the company and covers “referral payments, payment processing, hosting, support, and all other services“.
The firm said the decision comes amid pressure from its banking partners and payment providers.
Although sex workers plan to jump ship and use other platforms, they are concerned alternative sites could follow suit.
One 24-year-old, who uses the name Yasmina Khan, currently generates about £22,000 per month via OnlyFans and says she hopes her 2,000-plus subscribers will follow her elsewhere.
She added;
I’m just going to have to go to another platform but then, are other platforms safe as well?. I’m a little bit anxious about it but I think everyone is very anxious right now.
On his part, Obscenity lawyer Myles Jackman said he believes the London-based firm could suffer a similar fate to Tumblr, which saw numbers drop after it decided to ban pornographic images in December 2018.
He said;
It’s difficult to see that OnlyFans will survive purely as an influencer site. It’s possible, but considering the entire content base has been pornography and now it’s not going to be anymore.
The site has come under fire in the past after a BBC News investigation found under-18s had used fake identification to set up accounts on the site.
In June, BBC News found that under-18s sold explicit videos on the site, despite it being illegal for people to share indecent images of children.
After the investigation, the children’s commissioner for England said OnlyFans needed to do more to stop underage users. In response to the investigation, OnlyFans said it had closed the accounts flagged and refunded all active subscriptions.
In July, OnlyFans revealed in its first monthly transparency report that it had deactivated 15 accounts for hosting indecent images of children.
