One of the biggest tech news of last week was OnlyFans banning porn content. The video streaming platform said at that time it has taken this decision to “ensure the long-term sustainability.”
As my colleague, Napier pointed out, this move is dumb. It comes in the wake of payment processors bullying the platform into banning sexually explicit content for a ‘clean’ image. However, porn is one of the most popular content categories on OnlyFans, and the ban deprives a lot of sex workers of a chance to earn more money.
After facing a lot of backlash over this decision, the company addressed the issue over the weekend, and recognized that sex workers have played a huge part in OnlyFans’ growth. The firm said it’s working on solutions for them, but didn’t specify what that could look like.
Dear Sex Workers,
The OnlyFans community would not be what it is today without you.
The policy change was necessary to secure banking and payment services to support you.
We are working around the clock to come up with solutions.#SexWorkIsWork
— OnlyFans (@OnlyFans) August 21, 2021
Because of the pandemic, many sex workers turned to live streaming to earn money, and OnlyFans was one of the top choices of platforms for them.
At this moment, the company’s porn ban looks like a hurried decision without any specifications or guidelines. We’ve asked for more information from OnlyFans, and will update the story if we hear back.
The 💜 of EU tech
The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!
The platform has more than 130 million paying users, who watch different kinds of content — and sexual content is a major part of it. It said that since its inception, it has helped creators earn more than $4.5 billion.
A BBC investigation has pointed out that OnlyFans has been ‘lenient’ about illegal sexual content on the platform, and the company needs to deal with it in a better manner. While the firm needs to remove illegal content more aggressively, a blanket ban on porn is not the answer.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.