[Thread] OnlyFans is banning sexually explicit content because new Mastercard rules, in force from October 1, make hosting such content prohibitively expensive

A lot of people are getting the OnlyFans story wrong, and the reality of it is a lot more damaging and concerning to both the livelihood of sex workers and online freedom in general.

@postcultrev 2021-08-22 Post-Culture

Context & Ripple Effects

OnlyFans first announced that it would prohibit sexually explicit conduct from October, then specified that content involving intercourse, masturbation, or genital exhibition had to be removed before December 1 in its updated content terms. The thread attributes the underlying pressure to Mastercard rules taking effect October 1, reframing the policy as a payments-cost constraint rather than a straightforward editorial choice.

The sequence matters because OnlyFans’ restriction directly affects the creators whose work depends on the platform, while placing Mastercard’s network requirements upstream of the platform’s content rules.

First-order effects

OnlyFans must enforce its October restriction and December 1 removal deadline for the defined sexually explicit material, disrupting affected creators’ existing publishing and revenue activity.
Mastercard’s October rules raise the cost of supporting the affected category on OnlyFans, according to the thread, making payment compliance a direct operating constraint for the platform.

Second-order effects

Creators who cannot use the permitted content categories lose access to OnlyFans’ monetization channel, increasing pressure on platforms serving the same audience to determine whether they can absorb comparable payment-compliance costs.
OnlyFans’ initial October policy announcement shows how a card-network requirement can be translated into granular platform rules, including what material may remain available.

Third-order effects

If card-network compliance requirements continue to set the economics of hosting lawful but sensitive material, payment intermediaries will increasingly shape online speech and creator-market access through platform policy.
The later suspension of the planned ban after assurances indicates that platforms’ content rules may become contingent on private payment-rail negotiations rather than stable creator-facing standards.

The trend: Payment networks are becoming de facto governors of sensitive online monetization by turning their compliance requirements into platforms’ content restrictions.

Discussion

@onlyfans @onlyfans on x
Dear Sex Workers, The OnlyFans community would not be what it is today without you. The policy change was necessary to secure banking and payment services to support you. We are working around the clock to come up with solutions. #SexWorkIsWork
@realmira_xo @realmira_xo on x
@OnlyFans So instead of dropping Visa/MC you chose to drop us, the people who built your platform. You NEVER promoted us, only random fitness instructors and celebrities. WE brought the traffic. And you kicked us to the curb instead of standing up for us against the payment servi…
@alanaevansxxx Alana Evans on x
Dear @onlyfans The solution is to create your own 2257 intake for paperwork and IDs. For years, Onlyfans was TOO LAZY to make their own and simply sent workers to @APAGunion to use our paperwork! Creating a system would prevent this change but YOU won't don't it. https://twitter.…
@brentosaur @brentosaur on x
The policy changes that will kick you off of our platform were made to support you is a thing they certainly chose to say. https://twitter.com/...
@savannahshange Savannah Shange on x
🧵 on the OnlyFans ban on sex workers, the banking industry & the evangelical Christian culture wars. https://twitter.com/...
@megturney Meg Turney on x
My content won't be affected by the new policy, but so many of my friends will have to find a new place to post theirs. I understand OF didn't just make this choice for funsies, but it is pretty lame that now is the first time they're publicly acknowledging their SW base. https:/…
@oswld0 Oswaldo on x
So instead of dropping Visa/MC you chose to drop us, the people who built your platform. You NEVER promoted us, only random fitness instructors and celebrities. WE brought the traffic. And you kicked us to the curb instead of standing up for us against the payment services. https…
@samstrake Sam Strake on x
“The community wouldn't be what it is today with you” Meanwhile this is the first time they have ever even acknowledged that they have sex workers on their platform on social media. https://twitter.com/...
@lenatheplug LTP on x
so the first time you acknowledge us is after EVERY major news outlet is covering how you used us to build your platform before casting us aside? nice. https://twitter.com/...
@thealicegrey @thealicegrey on x
“Sex work is work” until we suspect you of being a full-service provider, in which case we will -checks notes- delete your account, ban you from the website, and retain any earnings you have not withdrawn without any warning or recourse. https://twitter.com/...
@kiwi_sunset @kiwi_sunset on x
omg read this thread 😵 https://twitter.com/...
@dellcam Dell Cameron on x
OnlyFans actually acknowledging sex workers. the panic is real. https://twitter.com/...
@pixiepie_x @pixiepie_x on x
Translation- In a world where the industry is highly lucrative but SWers are oppressed & marginalised, we needed your labour to build our company & success, but we aren't willing to support you once your reputation starts to sully our opportunity with celebs & advertisers. https:…
@sammysinsss @sammysinsss on x
OnlyFans is a joke if it thinks it will survive when a majority of its users, aka S3X WORK3RS, abandon their platform and all that's left are... wait, who ? Have fun ending up like another WeWork documentary. https://twitter.com/...
@postcultrev Post-Culture on x
OnlyFans isn't ditching porn and sex workers because it's trying to get new investments. It's ditching them because on October 1st of 2021 MasterCard is implementing new rules governing sites with adult content that use their payment processing systems.
@losowsky Andrew Losowsky on x
This thread succinctly pulls together a lot of info I've seen SWers talk about on here https://twitter.com/...
@420cumslut @420cumslut on x
please read this thread :) the news about OF is a single domino in a long line of dominoes that all started falling when SESTA/FOSTA was passed in 2018. this is the first of many site changes to come and just switching platforms may not be enough. https://twitter.com/...
@postcultrev Post-Culture on x
So why the rule changes? Because last December the New York Times published an opinion piece by Nick Kristof caller “The Children of Pornhub” that accused the site and its parent company of profiting off revenge porn, child porn and sex trafficking.
@postcultrev Post-Culture on x
But here's the thing: Kristof's story might have been correct on some of PornHub's abuses but it was deeply manipulative and painfully wrongheaded about sex trafficking in porn and, like almost anything he writes about sex, a filtered version of Christian dominionist propaganda
@postcultrev Post-Culture on x
Just going to make sure one point of this thread is clear: MasterCard's rule changes will do nothing to stop sex trafficking. They might have a marginal effect on non-consensual videos in general but overall these rules are about their own liability, not concern for victims.
@postcultrev Post-Culture on x
The end result of the change is it will be harder to sell sexually explicit content online unless you are part of a major player that can afford the costs to meet the new requirements. Indie sex workers will be driven out and larger companies will be more powerful.
@issielapowsky Issie Lapowsky on x
NEW: Who gets to decide what stays and goes on the internet? In the case of OnlyFans, the answer seems to be: major credit card companies taking an increasingly hard-line stance on adult content. https://www.protocol.com/...
@carnage4life Dare Obasanjo on x
The MasterCard rules that have caused OnlyFans to pivot include 1.) age verification of all performers 2.) content moderation & takedown policies in place 3.) A review process prior to content being published #3 is likely the killer since the other two should have been standard. …
@bradesposito Brad Esposito on x
“The BBC has seen examples of some of this banned content. In one video, a man is seen eating faeces. In another, a man pays homeless people to have sex with him on camera.” https://www.bbc.com/...
@annolivarius Dr. Ann Olivarius on x
OnlyFans' takes 20% of a performer's earnings. The disincentive to crack down hard on popular but illegal content is clear. Excellent investigative reporting by @BBCNews shows exactly how OnlyFans fails to solve this problem. https://www.bbc.com/...
@fennecferox @fennecferox on x
the same people banning all porn when its profitable will tolerate literal child porn when its profitable im shocked https://twitter.com/...
@dearestdr Dr. Benway on x
As disgusting as coprophagia is, the only contravention of the rules would be the promotion of self-harm, as eating faeces only poses a risk to the eater. If this is the case, why doesn't OnlyFans also remove all anorexic members for promoting self-harm? https://www.bbc.com/... h…
@petersterne Peter Sterne🌹 on x
This BBC article strongly implies that OnlyFans suddenly announced its new anti-porn policy in order to get ahead of a damaging BBC investigation into the company's internal policies. https://www.bbc.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@carnage4life Dare Obasanjo on x
The BBC was about to publish an investigation where OnlyFans moderators admitted the site is lenient towards prostitution & underage users. Seems they decided the fallout would get them banned by payment processors like happened to Pornhub so they pivoted https://www.bbc.com/...
@taraemory Tara Emory on x
Specifically, look at line 5d in the new acceptable use policy. https://onlyfans.com/aup That pretty much rules out all I do there on OF with the exception of my selfies. So yeah. Not much use for OF anymore.
@jessedamiani Jesse Damiani on x
OnlyFans shows Visa and Mastercard are ‘choke-points’ of online speech “OnlyFans' decision to ban sexually explicit content raises questions about credit card processors' power.” ⁦@issielapowsky⁩ for ⁦@protocol⁩ https://www.protocol.com/...
@labuzamovies Peter Labuza on x
Wish this OnlyFans thing had come up this summer because it would have been such fascinating fodder for my entertainment law course: https://www.protocol.com/...
@backupbear @backupbear on x
So, they're behaving like a cartel and should be broken up? >> OnlyFans shows Visa and Mastercard are ‘choke-points’ of online speech https://www.protocol.com/...
@alessiovegaxxx @alessiovegaxxx on x
Just in case there was confusion with the entire OnlyFans situation, here is what's NOT acceptable, clearly stated in their new policies that will apply Oct 1st Number 5 Section b. https://www.onlyfans.com/aup https://twitter.com/...
@bnox Clo Willaerts on x
OnlyFans shares new TOS for “sexually explicit conduct”: no intercourse, masturbation, exhibition of genitals; any such content must be removed before Dec. 1 So where will the xxx content creators move to? https://www.theverge.com/...
@_lindseylove @_lindseylove on x
People are still trying to tell me that Onlyfans isn't banning porn. Boys, I'm sorry, but they are. Here is the email they sent me and every other model on their platform last night. Here are the new terms: https://www.onlyfans.com/aup https://twitter.com/...
@film_girl Christina Warren on x
Just like I predicted yesterday, the new OnlyFans TOS defines “nudes” as boobs. It's ironically even more restrictive than the Skinamax analogy I drew yesterday. Lol. Bye OF. You killed yourself. https://www.theverge.com/...
@ojrenick Oliver Renick on x
uh, ya, so I'm pretty sure the #OnlyFans outrage is total fake news. Doesn't look like anything is changing for probably like 99.95% of users. Here is the terms of use that can't be violated: https://onlyfans.com/...
@fredbenenson @fredbenenson on x
OnlyFans deprecating adult content is handing the crypto community a product *and* a HUGE market on a silver platter. What more could they want from an opportunity to prove the potential of cryptocurrency?
@nmsonline Nick Stylianou on x
NEW: For the doubters that OnlyFans was abandoning its adult creators, an update to the Terms Of Service outline exactly what is now forbidden and defines “sexually explicit conduct”: https://twitter.com/...
@lucas_shaw Lucas Shaw on x
For all those people who questioned if the @OnlyFans policy change was real, here is a message they sent to creators today. https://twitter.com/...
@artyfakes Tabitha Lyons on x
I too, just received the OnlyFans email with the new terms snd conditions. Yes my content is safe, but so many others will be hugely affected by this. My heart breaks 💔 ...and who knows when the terms will change again? Maybe it's time I upgrade my website?
@mckenziewark Chica Marx on x
FFS. Built off the backs of sex workers, shut out once again by Wall st. Let's see if this one also fails. https://www.theverge.com/...
@nclrights @nclrights on x
DEVASTATING NEWS. During the pandemic, many sex workers moved to the safety of online platforms to make ends meet - w/ many of them unable to access vital unemployment benefits. This move will only drive sex work back to unsafe underground conditions. https://www.theverge.com/...
@tarletong Tarleton Gillespie on x
What do you think it means, that a site committed to sexually explicit content that's legal and to protecting its creators, can't include sexually explicit material on its site and still have the financial infrastructure to protect its creators? https://www.theverge.com/...
@sashaperigo Sasha Perigo on x
When the OnlyFans pornography ban takes effect thousands of people will lose their primary source of income. This is absolutely devastating. https://www.theverge.com/...

Chronicles