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OnlyFans to go porn-free by October to ensure long-term survival

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By John Glenday, Reporter

August 20, 2021 | 3 min read

Fresh from launching a porn-free creator network emphasizing wholesome content such as baking, sports and fitness, OnlyFans has announced that it will block all sexually explicit content from October 1.

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OnlyFans to go porn-free by October to ensure long-term survival

The crackdown marks a 180-degree policy shift from the creation of the social network in 2016, which saw it make a name for itself as the go-to portal for people wishing to buy and sell pornographic photos and videos.

Now, nude content will only be permitted if it satisfies the site’s terms of service, which include a ban on prostitution, after a BBC investigation highlighted concerns over underage users signing on with fake IDs to share explicit content.

The subsequent scandal led banking partners to demand change, forcing founder Tim Stokely to finally take action.

OnlyFans already acts to remove illegal content but takes a lax stance on moderation, with creators being issued with multiple warnings before having their accounts shut down. A monthly transparency report for July – the company’s first – declared 15 account deactivations linked to indecent images of children.

Now the site is taking the gloves off to pull content and close accounts in an effort to clean up its image and head off further scandals.

In a statement OnlyFans explained: ”In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of our platform, and continue to host an inclusive community of creators and fans, we must evolve our content guidelines.”

Since the onset of the pandemic OnlyFans has grown to count 130 million members, drawn largely by a small army of ‘creators‘ who levy a monthly fee in exchange for nude videos and photos. As the facilitator of these exchanges, OnlyFans takes a 20% cut of all payments.

In an attempt to plug this looming income shortfall, OnlyFans has begun promoting more wholesome interests via a streaming platform and app.

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