Following the intense backlash, the subscription platform OnlyFans has rescinded its announcement that it would ban pornographic images and videos.
The platform itself has always held a relationship with pornography; like Patreon, the service allows creators to connect with users and self-manage their content with full creative control. Content is pay walled, and OnlyFans takes a 20% cut of all payments made. Since its launch in 2016, the platform has raked in 150 million registered users and has paid billions to creators; it’s safe to say sex workers have built up the service to massive heights.
A few weeks ago, the platform announced it would issue a ban on pornographic images and videos, upsetting millions of creators that rely on the app for their primary income. CEO Time Stokely noted that the cause of the ban was the hesitance of banks: due to the reputation risk of working with a platform that promotes sex work, its banking partners opposed explicit material.
This isn’t the first time that major banks have pulled away from the sex industry, as notable financial services like MasterCard and Visa have severed their ties with the infamous pornographic site PornHub. Citing ‘unlawful content’ in reference to allegations of child pornography, the suspension of payment services with platforms that promote explicit sexual content creates difficulty for adult sex workers.
It’s discouraging to know that a service that has profited immensely from adult creators had considered turning its back on them, but this wouldn’t be the first time. Eclipsed by the struggling efforts to prevent child pornography and revenge porn, sex workers have found themselves jumping from platform to platform, following adult content bans and stigmatization.
The formerly proposed ban is reminiscent of Tumblr’s adult content ban, a move that cost it nearly a third of its users and has since been called ‘dead’ and ‘useless.’ Once worth a staggering $1.1 billion, the site was sold to WordPress owner Automatic for just $3 million. Should it follow suit, OnlyFans doesn’t just risk losing its capital, but its reputation for being in solidarity with sex workers.
Amid the age of embracing sexuality and undergoing intense efforts to destigmatize sex work, there is still so much work to be done to protect creators from an industry that is way too often exploitative. Sex work is real work and invalidating it as such is exactly what puts adult content creators at risk. Shaming workers for their career choices fails to acknowledge all the reasons why creators choose the line of work.
Whether it’s to self-empower or to pay the bills, the pursuit of a career in the sex industry should be supported and respected. Porn is nothing new; the discussions about ethicality and exploitation may now be at the forefront of pop culture and news, but these issues have been debated for much longer.
One noteworthy instance is the controversial Mia Khalifa, who performed in the industry for a mere three months, raking in as little as $12,000. Since her exit from the porn industry, she has often voiced her experience of being exploited and reaching a level of fame she never intended nor wanted to achieve. Pornhub, the entity she signed with, owns the rights to her content to this day, with Khalifa suggesting a profit made in the millions.
The issue here is so clear: everyone loves porn, but the respect for its creators is lacking. The absence of empathy and regard for creators has highlighted the unfortunate and tragic mistreatment of adult stars, and OnlyFans’ wavering support is no exception. Once advertising the ability for creators to pursue personal avenues of navigating the world of sex work, the future of the platform is unclear, as are the next moves for current creators.
One thing can be said: regardless of what shifts may occur within the sex industry in the coming months, adult workers will still prevail on alternative platforms.