Content-creation platform OnlyFans' planned porn ban and elimination of existing sexually explicit content was “suspended” Wednesday after days of backlash from sex workers, many of which are LGBTQ, that have OnlyFans accounts
OnlyFans Accounts Whiplash on Content About-Face
The reversal came Wednesday morning in a statement from the company thanking those with OnlyFans accounts that spoke out against the planned pornography ban for “making your voices heard.”
“Thank you to everyone for making your voices heard. We have secured assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community and have suspended the planned October 1 policy change. OnlyFans stands for inclusion and we will continue to provide a home for all creators.”
OnlyFans
The company announced it would prohibit sexually explicit content on its platform from October 1, 2021 onward on Thursday, effectively deplatforming a multitude of sex workers whose OnlyFans accounts drove the company's popularity and financial revenues. According to Bloomberg, OnlyFans saw revenues rise to $2 billion in 2020 and are on track to top $4 billion in 2021.
OnlyFans attributed the initial move away from pornographic content to pressure from banks and financial transaction services, with CEO Tim Stokley specifically naming JPMorgan and Bank of New York Melton as two banks that blocked payments to the OnlyFans accounts of certain makers. “The change in policy, we had no choice—the short answer is banks,” Stokley told the Financial Times Tuesday.
But Wednesday's announcement seems to signal that OnlyFans found financial partners that will guarantee creators income regardless of the nature of their produced content. “The proposed October 1, 2021 changes are no longer required due to banking partners' assurances that OnlyFans can support all genres of creators,” the company said when asked for further clarification. Creators received the same statement in an email from the company after the company's public statement.
Moderation Failures
While OnlyFans continues to tie its moves on allowing pornographic content to its relationship with financial institutions, others have pointed to discrepancies in the site's moderation practices as another catalyst for the decision. A BBC investigation published just after the porn ban was announced found that OnlyFans allegedly referred moderators to a “compliance manual” that directed them to issue three warnings to creators violating its Accepted Use Policy rather than upholding a zero-tolerance policy.
That same investigation also claimed that the site's top creators received additional warnings and were handled by an entirely different moderation team. A prior BBC investigation revealed that multiple minors were able to circumvent OnlyFans' monitoring structures and post sexually explicit content on the site.
Credit card companies Mastercard and Visa have cracked down on the use of their transaction systems on pornographic platforms over similar concerns, most notably when it ending support for transactions through popular porn website PornHub earlier this year.
Trust Issues
Despite what inspired the initial decision, OnlyFans' about-face hasn't inspired full trust from sex workers, LGBTQ or otherwise, that their worries over losing the safety and substantial income OnlyFans accounts provide. Many have pointed out that the language of OnlyFans' statement doesn't put the issue to bed, with multiple creators highlighting that the use of the term “suspended” could leave the option of instituting the pornography ban at a later date.
Others have stated their intent to close their OnlyFans accounts regardless of Wednesday's decision in favor of similar platforms that have been more friendly to sex workers, such as Fansly and PocketStars. Some that appear to plan on continuing to publish sexually explicit content on the site have called on the company to offer better revenue sharing percentages to make up for the loss in subscribers, allegedly 500-plus in one creator's case, that occurred in response to last week's news. OnlyFans currently keeps 20% of all creators' earnings through the site.
Still, others are celebrating the news alongside their reservations. “Never underestimate the power of community, together we demanded our voices were heard,” said United Sex Workers, an advocacy group aimed at decriminalizing sex work and unionizing sex workers. “‘Suspended' is not canceled, and Onlyfans is not to be trusted, but now more than ever, it is time we come together and fight for our rights at work.”
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