On Thursday, video and image sharing site OnlyFans announced plans to ban “sexual content” from October 1 . It is still unclear why the rules are changing so dramatically, but content creators are being sent an updated Terms of Service policy that will ban virtually exactly what this whole platform is based on.
Comparing the new “OnlyFans Acceptable Use Policy” with the old one, the additions are clear:
OnlyFans may not upload, publish or display content on the Site that:
- Shows, promotes, or refers to “sexual behavior,” meaning:
- direct or simulated sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital or oral-anal, between persons of any sex;
- direct or simulated masturbation;
- any extreme or offensive showing of any person’s anal opening or genitals;
- direct or simulated material depicting body fluids normally excreted during sexual intercourse;
- All existing Content that displays, advertises, or refers to “explicit sexual conduct” must be removed by December 1, 2021.
Other sections of the policy banning deepfake , drugs, or violence remain unchanged. In an email sent to the creators of OnlyFans, the site stated that ” nude content will be allowed as long as it complies with the policy .” Body parts may be displayed in published content, but doing something unambiguous (or getting too close) will violate the rules. Any violation “may result in the suspension or termination of your account and the revocation of access to your earnings.”
OnlyFans has largely based its billion-dollar business and brand on sex workers, providing exactly the kind of content that is banned. These content creators must remove traces of unacceptable content from their profiles by December 1st.