OnlyFans

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OnlyFans

Example user-interface of website OnlyFans Type Web Application Launch Date 2016 Status Active Product Line Content Sharing Service Platform Website Website Official Site

OnlyFans is an online content-sharing social platform that was founded in 2016. According to its creator, British entrepreneur Tim Stokely, the site was developed to monetize social media content free of advertisers. Creators are given the ability to paywall content by setting monthly subscription rates for premium followers, in return, OnlyFans receives 20% of their total revenue. Although creators can upload any kind of content such as music and comedy, it is widely considered as a platform for sex workers.

Background

Company Info & User Data Projections

OnlyFans is currently a privately-traded company owned by CEO and founder Tim Stokely. It boasts more than 100,000,000 registered users and pays more than $3,000,000,000 annually to its creators. Tim Stokely estimates that the site gains 200,000 new users and 7,000 to 8,000 new creators every day. Currently, the global headquarters of OnlyFans is located at Kearn Street in London. According to online databases of OnlyFans statistics, approximately 1.54% of users are content creators while 98.46% are fans. The most liked account globally is @omgcosplay with ~3.21 million likes, the most subscribed account with 236.6K fans is @HAMMY_TV and the top earning profile of ~$20 million is @blacchyna. XSRUS, a strategic business consultant and analyst, reports on their blog that the average monthly earning from OnlyFans is $180. They observe that the top 1% of accounts share 33% of all monthly revenue while the top 10% of accounts make up 73%.

Functionality

Users of OnlyFans can interact with the application similarly to other social media platforms. The website offers standard content filtering, sharing, moderating, and reporting functionality. New content can be posted as text, images, videos, or audio and be liked, commented on, or given tips by other users. Posts are modelled after the “carousel format” popularized most notably by Instagram, but focus on highlighting creators instead. Seasoned creators can customize their business model and the level of fan interaction they have as well. Monetization opportunities include: additional paywalls on content, freemium models, and discounts on bundles. Creators can message fans individually or collectively without revealing which, forming stronger connections. OnlyFans encourages its creators to prioritize fostering relationships with fans as “tipping is a key way free OnlyFans accounts earn.”

Cultural Effects

Mainstream Appeal

Though the company has been in existence since 2016, OnlyFans experienced exponential growth in 2020. It rose from paying $64 million to creators and having 7.5 million subscribers in 2019, to paying over $300 million and having 85 million subscribers in 2020. Many have speculated that the COVID-19 pandemic unwittingly spurred the mobile-app gig-economy due to rising levels of unemployment. Loneliness from social distancing and isolation is another commonly cited reason for OnlyFans’ recent success. The social media platform has also grown in popularity thanks to attention from mainstream media and celebrities. A growing list of famous users who have already flocked to the platform includes Tyga, Cardi B, Bella Thorne, and Jordyn Woods. Megan Thee Stallion’s Savage remix featuring Beyonce also lyrically references the social media platform: “Hips TikTok when I dance/On that Demon Time, she might start an OnlyFans (OnlyFans).”

Uses of OnlyFans

Many people use this platform for teaching dance moves, gambling, and also sex work. Due to the increase in creators throughout 2020 which can be associated with COVID-19, it has been widely advertised that OnlyFans is mostly sex work app. In addition to the app being utilized for many purposes, creators use the app to make ends meet financially. For many, the pandemic affected them financially and mentally which caused some people to take desperate measures to ensure a roof stays above their head like Marcela Alonso . She needed the money to not only keep her bills paid but take care of her children. She saw an opportunity to increase her prices because demand was high and that helped her bring in more money. Alonso was also saving up for her daughter who plans on going to law school.

People like Dr. Alex George uses OnlyFans to start an initiative for mental health support. Dr. George’s OnlyFans account is saturated with advice and engaging content for people over the age of 18 years old. There is no paywall to his profile to make it accessible for all. He has also allowed himself to be open to instant messaging on the app.

Other mainstream artists who find themselves using OnlyFans are SwaeLee, Rico Nasty, The Dream, Rubi Rose, as well as Cardi B as mentioned previously. SwaeLee used the app to promote his single last summer. He also does not use a paywall so all fans have the ability to access his page. Rico Nasty used the app to promote her music collaboration with Kalis Uchis and she uses a paywall of $6 monthly. Another artist is The Dream who has a free account for fans to listen to his album that matches the adult entertainment on OnlyFans. Cardi B uses a paywall of $4.99 and shows videos of her behind the scenes to her video “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion.

Controversy & Criticism

In spite of its many successes, OnlyFans has encountered plenty of controversies and criticisms as well. In August of 2020, Bella Thorne joined OnlyFans and broke records by receiving more than $1 million in one day. She also broke her promise of nude photos, supposedly resulting in OnlyFans capping tips for private messages and pay-per-view content at $100 dollars and $50 respectively, rather than the $200 previously. Like many other celebrities, Bella has faced backlash for gentrifying the platform, diverting much-needed attention and resources from sex workers to her. OnlyFans has received praise for overturning power imbalances in the sex worker industry, giving creators newfound agency in their careers. However, as noted by XSRUS, OnlyFans overwhelmingly favors those who already have established social capital, creating a false illusion of achievable success. This income and class divide between organic top creators and celebrities is a widespread criticism of OnlyFans.

The long-term, ethical implications of normalizing pornagraphic content creation has unwittingly sparked new life into cultural debates regarding promiscuity. Supporters of OnlyFans argue that it could sexually liberate and empower women in a society that oppresses and victimizes their sexuality. On the other hand, critics of OnlyFans argue that it could lower moral standards and spread content permanently throughout the Internet. The consequences of increased porn use replacing human connection is a widespread debate typically applied to OnlyFans as well.