Content Creators React to New OnlyFans Guidelines on Sexual Images

Aug 14, 2023

Just moments after OnlyFans announced that it will be banning sexually explicit content on the platform in October, people took to Twitter to express their anger over the entire situation.

"OnlyFans will prohibit the posting of any content containing sexually-explicit conduct. 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," OnlyFans said in a statement.

Users will still be allowed to post nude content as long as it adheres to the updates in the Acceptable Use Policy.

Now, content creators and netizens alike are expressing their confusion and anger. Savvy, who goes by Venus on OnlyFans, took to Twitter today to discuss her thoughts on the situation. "Onlyfans catered their platform almost exclusively to sex workers, built their wealth and popularity off the backs of sex workers, and within only a year ditched the creators who made their empire so they can cater to banks. Even if you don't use the site you should be p**sed," she tweeted this afternoon.

In 2020 users on OnlyFans spent over $2.4 billion on subscriptions and had over 120 million users, the Financial Times reported. Now, people on social media are concerned about where people will turn to do online sex work and how existing users will make content.

In reaction to the news, many content creators are wondering where they will be safe enough to make a living doing this type of work. An adult content creator from OnlyFans named Elle Hell tweeted, "digital sex workers DO NEED safe, anonymous online payment processors. We are not permitted to use cash apps like PPal, GW, etc. Exodus Cry has already gotten the credit cards to pull off Porn/ModelHub. When will the reg pay sites be next? Digital sexworkers cannot safely use bank cash transfers. We're banned from payment apps. Our sites are being shut away from us because of payment processors. We do NEED payment processors. Saying we don't is giving up the fight."

Since its creation in 2016, OnlyFans has become a safe space for sex workers to put out online content and receive a liveable wage. Many are angry that this platform decided to stop supporting this type of work.

One user who goes by the name Nancy Miami started a thread on Twitter about how the actions taken by OnlyFans hurt the very people who made the platform popular. She wrote, "Many ppl think Sex Work isn't work, but we know work is work, & should be valued as such & not diminished. We put in a lot time & energy, sometimes spending years to build a brand just to get thrown off a platform for xyz reason. Its bulls**t, everyone knows it."

Sex Workers, NSFW Content Creators & Camgirls really need to embrace the concept of Decentralization. Platforms like OnlyFans, Tumblr & many others monetized our work, only to then throw us off the very platforms we helped build. (a short thread🧵👇)

Many are even comparing this situation to Tumblr's decision to prohibit sexually explicit content and nudity back in 2018. Many users claimed they only used the social media site to look at that sort of content and complained they would need to find a new platform to view images classified as "NSFW."

If you wanna know how bad this OnlyFans thing is gonna be for them, keep in mind Tumblr was valued at over a billion dollars in 2013 and right now is valued at less than 3 million.

Many of the platforms users agree that a new platform must be created that gives sex workers a safe space to post content. Veronica Price, who puts out cosplay content on OnlyFans, tweeted, "Here we go again. If anything happens to OF, I highly suggest going to an alternative site that is inclusive of both SFW and NSFW content. Having a website that's exclusive to SWers means nothing (IWC, MV anyone?). What we need is a website that ANYONE can use without fear."

OnlyFans has yet to release the platform's newest guidelines but many online are discussing creating a new platform for this type of content. Other creators believe the new ban will not actually affect them as much as we think.

Ari Dee, a content creator on OnlyFans, tweeted today "I'm not saying stressful, big changes aren't potentially or probably about to go down. I'm saying we don't know what the extent of the situation is until we start getting *official statements* instead of this absolutely ridiculous bs going on. I'M not ready to freak out yet."