The days
of OnlyFans being an integral part of the homemade porn business are
coming to a climax.
Earlier today,
it was announced that starting this fall, the infamous content sharing platform
would no longer be allowing users to post sexually explicit video
content to their accounts. According to a report from Bloomberg, the
seemingly swift changes are coming on the heels of increased pressure OnlyFans
is receiving from banks and payment providers to get rid of explicit material
on the website, though creators on the platform will still be able to post nude
photos and videos as long as they meet the requirements of the
site's upcoming updated content policy.
"Effective
1 October, 2021, OnlyFans will prohibit the posting of any content containing
sexually-explicit conduct," a statement from OnlyFans reads. "In order to ensure
the long-term sustainability of the platform, and to continue to host an
inclusive community of creators and fans, we must evolve our content
guidelines. Creators will continue to be allowed to post content containing
nudity as long as it is consistent with our Acceptable Use Policy. These
changes are to comply with the requests of our banking partners and payout
providers. We will be sharing more details in the coming days, and we will
actively support and guide our creators through this change in content
guidelines."
First launched
in 2016 by British entrepreneur Timothy Stokely, OnlyFans is an
increasingly popular subscription-based website that allows content creators to
make money from their more exclusive, premium content that they wouldn't want
to share on other free social media sites.
Although all
kinds of artists and creators use it — Cardi B, Shea Couleé,
and Bella Thorne are just some notable celeb names who are on the platform —
it is widely associated and popular with adult actors and sex workers who use
it to share their steamier, sexier, and more explicit goods. Many queer adult performers have made a name for themselves and have
garnered huge social media followings thanks to the work they share on
OnlyFans, and the site currently boasts over 130 million users.
Though not
without its fair share of criticism, OnlyFans was regarded as a place for sex
works of all different backgrounds and identities to safely and virtually
conduct their businesses and interact with loyal fans. Considering how
stigmatized sex work still is in this day and age, OnlyFans ushered in an era
where sex work could be democratized and allow people from all walks of life to
get into the business and safely earn some money while doing so, but with the
site's new policy of no longer allowing sexually explicit video content, many
of the sex workers and adult performers (many of whom are part of the LGBTQ+
community) who helped garner a majority of the active users on the platform are
now being left out in the cold, and people are rightfully upset about the
move.
"This had
been a long time coming," popular gay
adult performer and OnlyFans creator Rocco Steele tells Out in
reaction to the news of the site getting rid of explicit videos. "I’ve
been hearing threats since I started on this platform almost 4 years ago."
While the
fallout is still ongoing, the development of OnlyFans leaving the porn biz just
highlights the need for inclusive platforms to be created that keep the best
interests of its users (especially the most marginalized) at their heart and
core. And from the reactions of many folks online, the need for that kind of
platform can't come soon enough.
"Is it an
unfortunate thing? Sure it is," Steele continues. "But now it’s time
for gay-owned and censor-free platforms such as Justfor.fans and 4my.fans to
reap the benefits when we all permanently leave OnlyFans and fans follow us to
these platforms."
SOURCE: OUT DOT COM
No comments:
Post a Comment