What is OnlyFans?
What started in 2016 as a subscription-based social media platform where creators could easily monetize their content without having to deal with advertising quickly grew into a mostly X-rated site, where, according to SimilarWeb, the top category of content is “Adult” and the top topic is “porn”.
During the pandemic, OnlyFans took off. It now averages about 300 million monthly visitors and has over 1 million content creators.
All users must be 18 or older. They need to create an account and ‘subscribe’ with a form of payment. This is required to access much of the content. Various payment modules include monthly subscriptions or one-off payments for exclusive content. Their website boasts how the platform facilitates “authentic connections” between the creator and consumer.
OnlyFans advertises various content types featuring celebrities, fitness instructors, cooking instructors, and even hula hoop masters. In reality, OnlyFans does house content like this, but most of it is primarily adult content, including pornography.
In 2021, OnlyFans announced they would ban adult content from their site, but they quickly scrapped that plan days later once they worked out a deal with their payment processor to continue including adult content. Because so much of their platform is pornography and adult content, banning it would seriously hurt their business.
How Kids Perceive OnlyFans
In just one day on OnlyFans, former Disney Channel star Bella Thorne announced she made $1 million. Other celebrities, including Cardi B, Lilly Allen, Iggy Azalea, Austin Mahone, Drea de Matteo, DJ Khaled, and Fat Joe, have used OnlyFans.
With influencers and celebrities sharing how much they’ve made, it’s enticing for children to join a platform where other influencers can quickly make what appears to be loads of money. Top earners can make hundreds of thousands to millions a month, while realistically, the average content creator only makes $180 a month.
Kids see other celebrities with accounts and hear about how “easy” it is to make money and fast.
A teen who had been making money from OnlyFans since she was 13 said, “I don’t wanna talk about the types of pictures I post on there, and I know it’s not appropriate for kids my age to be doing this, but it’s an easy way to make money.”
How Kids Access OnlyFans
OnlyFans say they are “committed to building the safest social media platform in the world.” Yet, to sign up for an account, users simply sign up with their name and email and hit “sign-up.” Under the signup button in small print, it says, “By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and confirm that you are at least 18 years old.” That’s it. No other verification is required, and within one click a child has an account.
Once you’ve created an account, you must enter a payment form to access most subscription-based content. However, this hasn’t stopped all kids from using either a pre-paid Visa or a parent’s credit card. A parent might not notice a $5-$30 monthly charge if they aren’t looking for it.
The process of becoming a “Creator” and uploading content to the site is much more complicated. Users need multiple valid forms of ID and must upload a selfie to verify that it matches the identification. They must also have a bank account to collect payment before approval.
OnlyFans Age and Verification page says the following regarding flagging minor accounts.
“We continue to check both Creator and Fan accounts after an account is opened. We proactively re-check age and identity verification using technology and human intelligence and investigate concerns from our community or other interested third parties like law enforcement, commercial partners, or non-governmental organizations.”
However, a 2021 BBC investigation showed that while OnlyFans may say they prioritize safety, their measures aren’t sufficient.
The BBC heard from various child protection experts, counselors, and police members about many underaged OnlyFans situations, including one of a 13-year-old. They could set up an account as an underage 17-year-old boy creator by using a 26-year-old girl’s ID and have it verified.
The Dangers of OnlyFans
Leah, 17, was already making money selling photos of her feet on Snapchat when she created an OnlyFans account. By using a fake driver’s license she quickly got her creator account set up and running.
What started as foot photos quickly escalated to the creation, sharing, and monetization of underage explicit videos or Child Sexual Abuse Material. Her followers needed more, and as she saw the money come in, she began to meet their demands.
But Leah isn’t alone.
A 14-year-old used her grandmother’s passport to sell her own sexually explicit images on OnlyFans.
A 16-year-old brags on Instagram about how much money she’s made from OnlyFans.
A 12-year-old girl used OnlyFans to connect with adult creators and asked them to meet up.
A 17-year-old tells police she was blackmailed into posting nudes to OnlyFans. Her blackmailers threatened to share identifiable images of her to her family.
A 17-year-old told police her face was edited onto another person’s body and uploaded to OnlyFans.
The above accounts are of actual children and reported in the BBC’s 2021 investigation.
Children are using OnlyFans as viewers and creators and are being exploited.
Children are at risk when using OnlyFans. They face exploitation, blackmail, trafficking, grooming, and abuse. Additionally, they may encounter harmful content, including pornography.
The Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative created an expert analysis of OnlyFans in 2022, which showed multiple accounts of sex trafficking of both adults and minors on the site. Through OnlyFans, traffickers and abusers have discovered a quick and easy way to monetize their victims. Predators have also found new ways to groom, blackmail, and exploit minors.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reports that missing kids are increasingly being connected to OnlyFans videos; they say that rates have tripled since 2019.
With how unsafe OnlyFans is for kids and the amount of exploitation, it’s no wonder they made NCOSE’s Dirty Dozen list in 2023.
How to Protect Your Child from OnlyFans
We know OnlyFans isn’t safe for kids. Even OnlyFans agrees with this. That’s why their platform is supposed to be for those 18 and older. While OnlyFans prides itself on being a “safe” social media platform, it’s clear more must be done to protect minors from creating accounts.
Regardless of whatever they decide to implement regarding safeguards for minors, there is something you, as a parent, can do.
Have a conversation.
While all the filters, blockers, and filtration software out there can for sure help protect children from being exposed to dangerous content online, they aren’t foolproof. Education and connection are the most powerful tools you can give your kids against these online dangers.
If kids hear from their peers and through online influences that OnlyFans is easy money and that they can access their favorite celebrities’ exclusive content on the site, they must be made aware of the platform’s realities.
As a parent, having an honest, open conversation with your kid about OnlyFans is important. This discussion can help you and your family feel more informed. It can also empower you to make informed decisions together.
If you need help with having a conversation, we recommend our Conversation Blueprint. Consider watching our documentary Brain, Heart, World together to spark the conversation.
For more information about OnlyFans, check out this article from our partners at Gabb or our Consider Before Consuming podcast with a former OnlyFans recruiter as she dives into the realities OnlyFans creators face.
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