OnlyFans Reverses Its Decision to Ban Explicit Content, Banks Promise To Continue Payouts
The controversial subscription-only service has reversed its decision to ban adult content after a massive backlash from performers and people who throw money at the platform.
In a written statement, the service announced the ban was “no longer required due to banking partners’ assurances that OnlyFans can support all genres of creators.”
Thank you to everyone for making your voices heard.
We have secured assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community and have suspended the planned October 1 policy change.
OnlyFans stands for inclusion and we will continue to provide a home for all creators.
— OnlyFans (@OnlyFans) August 25, 2021
According to the Financial Times, OnlyFans’ founder Tim Stokely blamed “unfair” treatment from banks contributing to the previous decision to ban adult content on the website.
“The change in policy, we had no choice — the short answer is banks,” Stokely, who is also the company’s chief executive, told the Financial Times.
In August, a bipartisan group of more than 100 members of Congress demanded that the Justice Department investigate OnlyFans, claiming that the site was a “major marketplace” for sexual videos featuring children. The letter cited the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, which grew out of the faith-based Morality in Media.
Adult-content companies face higher fees and requirements from financial institutions than most retailers; others won’t even consider it. Following allegations that Pornhub contained videos of rape and underage sex, both Mastercard and Visa began blocking customers from using credit cards on the site last year.
According to OnlyFans, it has 130 million users and 2 million creators who have earned a total of $5 billion.
