Before we take a deep dive into this story I want to be clear that OnlyFans does more than almost any other adult platform to verify that all people posting content are over 18 (as required by law). They not only require 3rd part biometric age verification for every account holder, but they also require you to identify each person’s name in an adult video and then match it against their ID (to prove they are over 18) and a signed model release. Other premium social media platforms are only just now starting to do this, while OnlyFans has been doing it for a while now.

But that being said, let’s get into the heart of the story – the investigation by Reuters.

Amid the glittering success stories emerging from OnlyFans, a popular platform that has turned ordinary individuals into millionaires and bolstered the bank accounts of already rich celebrities, a Reuters investigation has unearthed a deeply troubling underbelly.

Over 120 individuals have lodged complaints with U.S. law enforcement agencies, claiming their sexually explicit images were distributed on OnlyFans without their consent. Among these are harrowing allegations, including from a woman who says a video capturing her rape was peddled on the platform. This grim revelation points to a stark contrast between the platform’s glamorous facade and the distressing experiences of some of its subjects.

The narrative of Sammy, a pseudonym for one of the alleged victims, epitomizes the chilling accounts uncovered. She vividly recalls an April 2022 night in Miami when she claims she was raped by two men, a horrific act she feared was being filmed. Her worst fears were confirmed when, two months later, an edited video of the assault appeared on OnlyFans, marketed by one of the assailants as content for sale.

Since its inception in 2016, OnlyFans has burgeoned into a nearly untouchable empire, boasting almost 240 million users and redefining the intersection of social media and adult entertainment. Yet, as Reuters’ investigation suggests, beneath its sheen lies a darker realm where exploitation and non-consensual pornography thrive, often with little recourse for the victims.

Despite its assertions of safety and moderation, the platform appears to have been utilized to disseminate content produced without consent, a practice starkly at odds with the values OnlyFans professes to uphold. The report details 128 cases where individuals reported unauthorized use of their sexual images on the platform to U.S. law enforcement between January 2019 and November 2023. These cases, predominantly lodged by women against former partners, underscore a troubling trend where intimate moments, shared privately, are exploited for profit without consent.

The challenges of policing such content are manifold. Paywalls and the platform’s expansive user base complicate oversight, leaving law enforcement grappling with the enormity of the task. Moreover, victims find themselves navigating a complex legal landscape, where accountability often remains elusive. Current legislation offers scant protection, with no federal law explicitly criminalizing non-consensual pornography.

Sammy’s ordeal didn’t end with the alleged assault. She has initiated a groundbreaking legal battle against OnlyFans, accusing it of profiting from her trauma. This lawsuit represents a significant moment in the broader struggle against the exploitation of non-consensual porn, potentially paving the way for further legal action against platforms that host and profit from such content.

As OnlyFans continues to celebrate its meteoric rise, the stories unearthed by Reuters serve as a grim reminder of the platform’s failings in safeguarding its users against abuse. Sammy’s fight for justice, alongside others in similar plights, highlights an urgent need for more robust protections and accountability mechanisms within the adult entertainment industry and the social media platforms that host its content.

You can read the full story from Reuters here.