Why is Onlyfans banning explicit content?

In November of 2017, the social media network onlyfans released an update to their terms of service banning explicit content from their website. The change was intended to reduce the amount of explicit material shared on the platform, but some users aren’t sure why this shift occurred in the first place. Onlyfans has many users who enjoy explicit content, so what motivated this decision? And could this ban affect other streaming platforms? Here’s what you need to know about why onlyfans is banning explicit content and what it means for you.

Explicit Censorship

The social media app OnlyFans is a platform that connects fans with their favorite online personalities. The app was created by Montreal-based company, Seed Labs. In 2017, they released OnlyFans as an alternative to platforms like Instagram and Patreon to allow influencers and brands a secure means of communication without censorship or confusion over product use and disclosure laws. However, their goal of having both parties understand what’s expected has been thwarted by recent actions by Twitter. Recently Twitter banned several accounts associated with OnlyFans for violating community standards regarding pornographic content in early March 2018. Then on March 8th of 2018 Twitter completely shut down all remaining accounts on Twitter for Adults grounds that pornography violates its terms of service.

Adult Content Models

According to a representative for OnlyFans, who asked not to be named due to company policy prohibiting employees from talking with the press, the new guidelines are in line with those of social media platforms and other digital services. We're actually setting stricter standards than what's out there. To comply with Patreon's updates, many models will have to revamp their pages. Those who do not adopt similar policies run the risk of having their accounts banned altogether. Changes include labeling nudes as 18+ only so that anyone scrolling through their feeds can see them. As well, these models will have their accounts marked as an adult so that anyone searching for adult material on Patreon can easily find it and pay creators like you directly via PayPal or monthly subscriptions (i.e., a la Netflix).

What It Means For The Community

For years, adult performers have used OnlyFans to build their fan bases and gain new supporters. The platform not only provides an easy way for users to become supporters but has also given many women a platform to tell their unique stories and create a more intimate connection with those that matter most: their fans. With Patreon leaving its customers no choice but to use its new terms of service, many fans and adult performers are uncertain about how they will be able to affordably run their accounts going forward. I think it's important that we understand why these changes are being made and what we can do as members of an increasingly sexualized community in order to ensure our future happiness.

Can OnlyFans rebuild without adult models?

The biggest question looming over online, membership-based porn startups like OnlyFans (and others like Fig) is whether they can make up for lost revenue streams by attracting a larger number of users. Will that happen, though, if it becomes harder to tell who’s offering something sexually explicit and who isn’t? Adult models—who’ve historically made up most of these companies’ memberships—are losing out here too.

This week, pornography streaming site OnlyFans made headlines by announcing a ban on explicit adult content. According to their announcement, they were prompted to do so after receiving complaints from advertisers who did not want their ads running alongside sexually-explicit videos. Many are calling it censorship, an inevitable action in our filter-happy era. But when you dig deeper into what’s happening, you’ll see that there’s more to it than just that.