Is OnlyFans Facing a Reckoning? Shining Light on the Dark Side of the Platform

Is OnlyFans Facing a Reckoning? Shining Light on the Dark Side of the Platform

By Aaron Brawley, Movieguide® Contributor

ONLYFANS could be facing a significant backlash. The subscription-based platform, known for its explicit content, surged in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, generating hundreds of millions in revenue annually. However, a recent Reuters investigation has uncovered over 120 men and women who claim to be victims of abuse due to the distribution of unauthorized explicit material on the site. As legal pressure mounts, one victim, in particular, is stepping forward to take on the internet giant.

“A whole company has made money off of my biggest trauma,” said 21-year-old Sammy, reflecting on her harrowing experience. In a landmark lawsuit, Sammy claims that she was sexually assaulted and that OnlyFans profited from the dissemination of her assault—an unprecedented accusation in the ongoing battle against the platform. Because of Onlyfan’s policy to take a 20% cut on all of its creators’ sales, there may be sufficient grounds to hold the platform liable. Sammy’s case could represent a significant turning point in the conversation surrounding the accountability of tech platforms that traffic in explicit material.

This legal battle is not an isolated incident. A growing chorus of individuals who have experienced similar exploitation are coming forward, telling stories of betrayal and calling for justice. While OnlyFans claims to be actively building “the safest social media platform in the world” (Reuters.com), several men and women have challenged this assertion. Their allegations paint a different picture, one where the site has allowed explicit material to be uploaded without verifying whether the content is consensual.

One such victim described the agony of discovering that her ex-boyfriend, a former NFL player, had sold a private video of them without her consent after their breakup. Despite an agreement to keep the video private, the footage was posted on OnlyFans, forever altering her life. Another heart-wrenching account comes from a mother in Illinois, who learned through her teenage daughter that explicit images of her had been shared online. These victims, along with many others, have turned to the legal system for justice. But more often than not, their efforts are met with roadblocks and frustration.

Law enforcement faces challenges in determining whether explicit content was filmed and distributed consensually, and the legal consequences for offenders are often minimal. In some cases, repercussions are delayed for years, long after the explicit content has gone viral, leaving victims to face devastating personal and social consequences.

The rise of abuses linked to OnlyFans parallels a broader cultural trend of increasing pornography consumption, following a steep decline in moral values. Much like the Sexual Revolution of the 1960s and ’70s. Just as that era saw a radical redefinition of sexual norms under the guise of empowerment, we are now witnessing a similar emphasis on sexual autonomy and self-expression, often at the expense of human dignity. The prophet Isaiah’s words resonate deeply today: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,” (Isaiah 5:20, NIV).

We have created a hypersexualized culture that dehumanizes individuals, reducing people to objects for consumption rather than recognizing them as complex, three-dimensional beings. Authentic relationships have become harder to cultivate, and families are paying the price. Platforms like OnlyFans, along with the broader pornography industry, have capitalized on this cultural shift, offering supposed empowerment while perpetuating cycles of exploitation and devaluation. The creators of pornography and those who run platforms like OnlyFans remain financially motivated to continue producing and promoting explicit content, regardless of the devastating human cost.

However, amid this darkness, there is hope. As sin proliferates in our culture, so too does a longing for something real, something more than the fleeting pleasures of the flesh. Simply look here to see how OnlyFans creators are beginning to walk away from the platform. Where once they exploited their bodies for financial gain and status, they now trade it all for the joy and fulfillment that comes from a relationship with God.

As the body of Christ, we have a responsibility to proclaim this truth and to stand against the forces of exploitation and dehumanization. True freedom and empowerment come not from serving ourselves, but from giving our lives in love and service to others. This is the message we must carry forward, in the face of a world that desperately needs it.