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OnlyFans bans adult content in drastic move to reshape its business

By Brittany Roston/

In perhaps one of the most bizarre business moves we've seen from an online platform, OnlyFans has announced that it will no longer allow sexually explicit content. The announcement comes only days after a leak claimed the company planned to overhaul its image to serve as a Patreon-like subscription platform rather than a destination for adult content.

OnlyFans is a subscription-based service where creators can launch their own accounts to share content with paying viewers. The service is known far and wide as a destination for adult content, including sexually explicit materials. According to a statement from the company to Variety, it is this same content that has gotten OnlyFans into trouble with its banking partners.

The change will take place on October 1, giving users who make money from banned content the chance to find an alternative platform. Once that date arrives, OnlyFans will no longer allow users to post sexually explicit content, a change it says is necessary to "ensure the long-term sustainability of the platform."

OnlyFans will make an exception for content featuring nudity that otherwise abides by its acceptable use policy; it's unclear whether that policy will update what is considered acceptable nudity when October rolls around. The company says it is evolving its content guidelines in order to "comply with the requests" of its banking partners, including the companies that provide payouts to creators.

The change comes only two days after OnlyFans announced the launch of its new streaming platform and app called OFTV. The company presented the platform as a way for viewers to watch different genres of content like comedy, fitness, and cooking — the kind of content you wouldn't ordinarily associate with the OnlyFans brand.

Meanwhile, the competing platform Just For Fans has issued its own statement on the matter, saying that it welcomes adult content creators from OnlyFans who want to transition to their own platform. Payment processors have been a regular issue for companies that involve sexually explicit materials, though Just For Fans says it has no plains for "mainstreaming" its service away from adult content.

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