OnlyFans Releases Details Regarding Ban On Adult Content, Responds to Creators

News broke last week that OnlyFans would be banning all sexually explicit material starting in October 1. OnlyFans confirmed the news shortly thereafter, stipulating that the platform — which made billions largely due to sex workers who utilized the service to sell sexually explicit content — would be releasing details shortly. For a while, speculation rose amongst creators that the site would not be instituting the ban and dubious screenshots began to circulate adding credence to the idea. But on Friday, OnlyFans emailed all of its content creators with the details of the company’s new world order.

“Dear OnlyFans Creator, this email is to notify you of changes to our Acceptable Use Policy that will go live effective October 1, 2021,” they wrote in the email. “The new policy will prohibit the posting of any new content containing sexually-explicit conduct. Content containing nudity will continue to be allowed as long as it is consistent with the policy.

“Existing content that does not meet the standards of the new policy will need to be removed before December 1, 2021,” they continued. In the email, OnlyFans explained that creators have earned over $5 billion since the company started but banking institutions and payment processors are objecting to the content they are hosting. The new changes “are the only way to help ensure the long-term sustainability of OnlyFans.”

The new Acceptable Use Policy bars uploading, posting, displaying, or publishing content that shows, promotes, advertises or refers to “sexually explicit conduct.” For the purposes of OnlyFans, this is defined as:

1. actual or simulated sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal, between persons of any sex;

2. actual or simulated masturbation;

3. any exhibition of the anus or genitals of any person which is extreme or offensive;

4. actual or simulated material depicting bodily fluids commonly secreted during sexual conduct;

In short, it is a porn ban through and through.

The new definitive statement brought a new wave of criticism for the site which was founded in 2016. As a result, the site tweeted to the community specifically.

“Dear Sex Workers, The OnlyFans community would not be what it is today without you,” they wrote. “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.”

The move has caused many to pursue other avenues. In the wake of the news, competitors JustForFans and 4MyFans released statements in support of the community, namely that the two platforms were founded expressly for adult content. But neither is perfect: in the rush, JustForFans went offline as its servers crashed with the traffic surge. Creators have also criticized its policy of taking 30% of profits instead of the typical 20%. Others have resurfaced two accusations of sexual assault against JustForFans founder Dominic Ford. Ford last year threatened to sue one of the accusers for defamation. He also “categorically denies” all allegations of sexual assault.