OnlyFans saw a boost in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and has become a popular subject of music and memes. It has also brought online sex work for young adults into mainstream culture.

This normalisation is a danger to vulnerable young people and adults who would otherwise be unlikely to engage in this behaviour. They may see OnlyFans or other subscription type apps as a safe way to make fast cash. Popular platform TikTok, widely used by underage children and young people, does not explicitly allow promotion of OnlyFans accounts. However, creators have attempted to bypass TikTok’s algorithms and have been found boasting about their earnings from OnlyFans. OnlyFans also have a referral program in place that creators use to grow their income, encouraging others to sign up through their referral code.

All of this remains surface level compared to the darker side of OnlyFans. There is an increased risk of young people becoming subscribers to access explicit material. In a report published by the BBC, they found subscription accounts made by children as young as 10.

For creators, a vulnerable young person or adult could easily be groomed into creating an account as a way to improve their income. Warnings about possible coercion (a subscriber saving images/videos that may be “private” and using them to elicit “free content” or to bribe or extort a creator) have started becoming more common. Many former OnlyFans performers have reported incidents of stalking, harassment, and blackmail by their subscribers. One UK based performer said an obsessed fan tracked her down and posted her personal information alongside an explicit image of her on a porn site after she refused to meet him in real life.

Such stories are not rare. The privatised format of OnlyFans can facilitate a person who has a sexual deviant interest in children and young people. It allows them to interact and “support” a creator who they have fantasies about, creating an environment that most sexualised content does not have. This ‘predator fan’ can then entice creators by offering more money. Once the predator has captured an intimate image, they may threaten to share it with the victim’s family or friends unless they do what they are told. This is often referred to as sextortion, which you can learn more about in our Guide to Protecting Young People from Sextortion. The platform has also previously come under fire for hosting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). te OnlyFans’ policies.

Other risks may include excessive screen use, obsession, or anxiety over building their following. A veteran of OnlyFans was quick to point out that “if no one is paying attention or knows what you’re doing, how are you going to sell [your] service?” Another claimed it took her “about a year” to make real money. As a result, young people may spend longer on their devices and take more risks in an attempt to generate an online following.

Leah*, a 17-year-old from England, began selling photos of her feet over Snapchat. When she heard about OnlyFans, she used a fake driver’s license to create an account on their website. She only intended to continue taking photos of her feet. This escalated to more explicit content once her “fans” began to pressure her and offer her larger sums.

It wasn’t until Leah’s bank account was frozen for receiving a payment of over £5000 that her mother, Caitlyn, realised something else was going on. Leah then admitted her involvement with OnlyFans. She said she used most of her income to buy designer clothes and presents for her boyfriend, who had broken up with her anyway. Then she felt she could not stop. Her subscribers continued to barrage her with requests to meet up in person or to take photos of specific angles of her body.

Despite Leah’s account being reported multiple times, OnlyFans moderators checked her initial ID and decided it was legitimate. They did not deactivate the account until contacted by the BBC – four months after Leah stopped posting.

Now, there are explicit pictures and videos of Leah all over the internet. She feels her life has been derailed by this. She feels anxious about leaving the house because she is afraid of being recognised. “She does not want to be seen.”

*This case study was adapted from a 2021 BBC article ‘The Children selling explicit videos on OnlyFans“.

At the age of 15, Sasha* began to send explicit images of herself to boys over social media apps like Snapchat. One of these images was saved and then leaked to Sasha’s family and friends. Her family didn’t support her and responded by kicking her out.

Now 20, Sasha uses OnlyFans to earn a living, though she feels constantly pushed to add more and more content to secure a steady income. It is taxing for her, especially as she suffers with her mental health. She says her followers ask her for all kinds of extreme content, including filming toilet-based videos. “It’s a rabbit hole. You can go further and further. Something that could’ve started as innocent fun can turn sour more quickly.”

She has been shocked by the number of underage girls who have reached out to her for advice on how to post explicit images and videos on OnlyFans. She tells them that they don’t see the whole picture, as they often only see her posing in “cute” photos that make her life seem fun and idyllic.

They don’t see the harsh reality, the fact that Sasha feels trapped in a cycle of performing for money and that she is exposed to serious risks linked to the coercive behaviour of some of her ‘fans’.

*This case study was adapted from various sources whose material was taken from the 2020 BBC documentary #Nudes4Sale

If you suspect a child or young person may be in danger of exploitation or blackmail because of an online image/video, it is crucial to know how to best help them. Below, you’ll find some helpful safeguarding resources to give you a better understanding of next steps: