"Do you like my photos? Go to my OnlyFans page for exclusive content now!" It's a phrase you may have seen on the social media pages of influencers and celebrities lately.
You then end up on OnlyFans, a British platform on which you pay to see - often sexually explicit - pictures of that person. The platform has grown enormously in recent months. Tens of millions of people worldwide purchase paid subscriptions to see more of the people they follow - often influencers, porn stars, and celebrities.
The growth pays off for popular OnlyFans faces, but there are also risks.
According to The New York Times, the platform had more than 90 million users and more than 1 million image creators in December. A year earlier this was still 120,000. "That growth in users is not surprising. Everyone sat at home last year and was bored," says NVVS sexologist Yuri Ohlrichs, who works at Rutgers, knowledge center sexuality.
The platform was also in the news several times through the accounts of celebrities. "Yes, they find that interesting, of course, to see more than just the outerwear of someone you admire. Sex sells."
The enormous increase in the number of OnlyFans creators already started during the first corona lockdown, says media scientist Linda German of Utrecht University. In the Netherlands, it was mainly the sex workers who registered at the time. "The platform offered sex workers who were not allowed to work due to the corona measures a way to still make money."
Ultimate earnings through the fan base
But sex workers from other countries also moved to the platform. In the United States, new legislation played a major role in this: sexually explicit content on social media was banned, German explains. "As a result, sex workers left existing platforms and started looking for new ones."
Influencers and celebrities also turn to OnlyFans, which has been around since 2016. "The revenue model of influencers is based on income from their fan base. The technical capabilities of OnlyFans, such as getting money for private messages, make it easier for influencers to make money from fans. That makes it attractive and so they can make the most of their financial draw fans. "
Esluna, who spoke with NPO 3 about her OnlyFans page last year, puts a lot of time into her account. "It's not all about creating content, you also have to come up with strategies. If visitors want to talk to me in private, they pay extra for it. Sometimes I put a preview on it and people can pay extra to see the whole video."
She shares nude photos and videos and also goes live. "I try to give it an artistic charge." But some people don't post sexy content, Lana, another creator, told NPO 3. "There are also accounts those post episodes of shows or sell products. On the other hand, we share sex tapes."
Reality stars and influencers
To earn a large sum of money every month, you must already have a fan base. The platform does not have a timeline to feature profiles. You can only access a profile via a direct link.
"That is why you see reality stars, or 'new' influencers, doing this a lot in recent months. The Schnabel circuit is down, they are not booked at clubs and therefore do not earn money from their limited fame. For them it is a favorable platform", says German.
OnlyFans seems like a good economical solution for a group of people, but the platform also poses dangers. The NPO Radio 1 program Alicante researched the medium last year and found out that a lot of image material is stored and distributed illegally.
"I went undercover in Telegram groups sharing entire dropboxes of sexually explicit footage from OnlyFans," said editor Elif Kan.
Distributing illegally
Those groups consist of hundreds to thousands of members. "Someone then buys a subscription and takes everything off and then distributes it illegally. That way you never know where all your photos and videos end up."
A well-known phenomenon, says German. "This so-called (screen) capping is a problem that sex workers, who work via webcams or in porn films, for example, have been bothered for years. It then appears on the free porn website Pornhub and they earn nothing more from it. Those images can also last for years. roam the internet. "
And that is a dangerous aspect that users should consider, says sexologist Yuri Ohlrichs on behalf of Rutgers. "Normally, you want to use this or earn money in this way, but enjoy it healthily and consciously. If you post a nude photo online, and it will have a life of its own, it will never go again. away. Realize that you are vulnerable. "