OnlyFans To Ban Sexually Explicit Content Starting In October

This afternoon, OnlyFans has signaled its intent to block sexually explicit content from being uploaded and shared on the site, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The reasoning behind it is strikingly similar to when Tumblr made the decision to ban adult content back in 2018, citing increased pressure from banks and payment processors that do not want to condone such content. The immediate outcry on social media was apparent, and many people are convinced that it will fall the same way that Tumblr did.

OnlyFans yesterday vs OF in October pic.twitter.com/7EmTpLqZu7

— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) August 19, 2021

OnlyFans entering its Tumblr era

— Jackson Rickun (@JacksonRickun) August 19, 2021

onlyfans banning porn is like twitter banning people from having terrible opinions

— Matt Bellassai (@MattBellassai) August 19, 2021

While the comparisons to Tumblr were being made, there were many who expressed outrage over the apparent shedding off of the userbase that helped grow OnlyFans into the large-scale operation that it is today. Anger coming from those who had OnlyFans accounts and were afraid that they may find themselves out of an income source quickly posted their reactions on Twitter en masse.

I’m already seeing a bunch of jokes about this like “oh OnlyFans bans adult content McDonald’s might as well ban hamburgers.” No. This is people’s livelihoods. It’s their safety. It’s their ability to put food on the table. Stop with that shit.

— Ej Dickson (@ejdickson) August 19, 2021

OnlyFans throwing the people who grew their company under the bus is a scary reminder of how beholden creators and independent workers are on platforms for revenue and how they're not beholden to us

— Dani Deahl (@danideahl) August 19, 2021

the amount of people mocking the sex workers who will lose their livelihoods due to onlyfans banning explicit content is disgusting. i can't imagine being such a callous human being and thinking it's cool.

— harley 💞 (@breadwitchery) August 19, 2021

Much like with the Thot Audit, there were many who saw this as a rallying cry against the thots and took to Twitter to express their own views, often with memes.

Onlyfans models gotta work a real job

— Hoodville (@Hoodville_) August 19, 2021

Im the guy who asked them to remove Sex from only fans!!! I thought It would be nice!!! I didnt know it woiuld make people mad!!! Im sorry!!

— wint (@dril) August 19, 2021

ONLY FANS MORE LIKE ONLYGOFUCKYOURSELF

— The Iron Sheik (@the_ironsheik) August 19, 2021

The only content on OnlyFans now will be martial art tutorial videos from Komeki.

Pay $15 now to learn the tiger drop. pic.twitter.com/5hy3PmBWGB

— Yakuza Images with Music and Vice Versa (@YakuzaImagesMP3) August 19, 2021

While the exact details remain to be seen, the initial reports of only "sexually explicit videos" being blocked may not harm the content base of the platform as much as expected. While the majority of content shared is in video and picture form, the majority of the money made is from more specialized services, such as phone calls, texts, live chats, etc., and there are other platforms and ways to send videos between fans and content creators.

We'll have to wait till October to see how far-reaching of a ban this may be, but there is still plenty of space within the site to make money for those who want to keep to the code of conduct.