OnlyFans, the subscription-based content creation platform, has stated that it would no longer ban sexually explicit material.
OnlyFans, which grew in popularity among sex workers to sell nude and sexually explicit material, said earlier this month that it would implement a new policy prohibiting sexually explicit content on its platform. The policy was supposed to take effect on October 1.
But, in a U-turn presumably prompted in part by public criticism, the business said on Wednesday that it would no longer pursue the strategy.
"Thank you to everyone for making your voices heard," it said in a statement Wednesday. "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," it added. The company had planned to ban the content starting October 1.
The move was made "to comply with the requirements of our banking partners and payment providers," according to an OnlyFans spokesperson.
Because of OnlyFans' connection with sex work, CEO Tim Stokely told the Financial Times that BNY Mellon, JPMorgan Chase, and Metro Bank imposed "unfair" barriers to pay creators.
JPMorgan Chase was "particularly aggressive" in shutting accounts of sex workers or "any company that helps sex workers," Stokely said in an interview Tuesday.
OnlyFans, which had been having difficulty attracting investors due to its connection with sex work, halted fundraising after announcing intentions to prohibit porn, according to sources.
On the other hand, Stokely claimed that the company's choice to prohibit pornography was motivated by a lack of funding. OnlyFans would tolerate sexually explicit behavior if banks altered their policies, he told the Financial Times.
The decision to exclude sexually explicit material was met with considerable criticism and disappointment.
Many sex workers say that they will never trust the platform again.
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I feel like they made the right decision. Onlyfans would have lost so much money if they would have tried to change the agenda of what they were putting out. Far as the bank goes, it’s funny that chase don’t support sex workers but they supported slavery….