OnlyFans says it has suspended a plan to ban sexually explicit content following an outcry from its creators and advocates for sex workers.
The subscription site said in a prepared statement Wednesday that the planned ban was “no longer required due to banking partners’ assurances that OnlyFans can support all genres of creators" and declined to answer further questions.
OnlyFans had said last Thursday that it would ban explicit content starting Oct. 1, blaming policies of banks and payment processors for the policy change. “The new rules are necessary to comply with the requirements of these financial institutions and are the only way to help ensure the long-term sustainability of OnlyFans,” the company said in a message to users last week.
OnlyFans has become famous as a place where sex workers can get paid in a safer way as well as a space for celebrities to interact with fans.
Last week's abrupt change upset the site’s creators, many of whom threatened to move to another website. A lot of sex workers joined OnlyFans during the pandemic when in-person venues shut down or became more dangerous because of COVID-19.
The site has been tremendously lucrative for some people, allowing them to earn thousands every month. OnlyFans says it has 130 million users and 2 million creators who have collectively earned $5 billion.
Advocates had criticized OnlyFans’ planned ban, saying they were concerned it would push people into more dangerous street-based sex work. They say taking away a safer virtual space and cutting people’s income makes them more vulnerable to the risk of being trafficked.
Additional reporting by the Associated Press.
