'Adult SNS' OnlyFans Launches Korean Service Early This Year
Produces Pornographic Content, Generates Revenue Through Paid Subscriptions
Expert: "Internet Has Made Sex Industry Safer"
"But It Can Also Create New Threats Like Digital Sexual Exploitation"
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] The social networking service (SNS) "OnlyFans," known as the so-called "adult Instagram," is understood to have launched its Korean language service earlier this year. This platform allows users to freely create pornographic content and generate paid subscription revenue, making it popular among sex workers in other countries. However, concerns have been raised that, given the relative ease of access for minors and the nature of SNS potentially leading to digital sexual exploitation, appropriate regulatory measures are necessary.
OnlyFans is a paid subscription SNS founded in 2016 by British entrepreneur Tim Stokely. Platform users are divided into "creators," who produce content, and "subscribers," who pay a monthly fee to subscribe. Creators post content such as photos and videos on their accounts, which can only be viewed by subscribers who have paid to follow those accounts.
OnlyFans was originally created to support subscription revenue for various professions such as chefs, athletes, singers, and animators. However, unlike existing SNS platforms like Twitter and Instagram, it has no restrictions on content level, which has led to a significant increase in the production and distribution of pornographic content.
In particular, the guideline that the company takes 20% of subscription revenue while creators receive 80% makes it easy for popular accounts to generate income. Additionally, the high level of content security has made it very popular among sex workers in other countries.
OnlyFans began to gain serious attention this year as the COVID-19 pandemic spread worldwide. Sex industry workers, whose work requires face-to-face contact, flocked to SNS platforms in search of new income sources, leading to explosive growth for OnlyFans.
According to the U.S. media outlet CNBC, as of September, OnlyFans recorded a total of 75 million users and 1 million creators, growing more than sevenfold compared to the previous year. Additionally, 200,000 new subscribers are added every 24 hours.
When searching for OnlyFans on social networking services (SNS) such as Twitter, Korean accounts promoting their OnlyFans accounts were repeatedly found. / Photo by Twitter capture
OnlyFans reportedly launched its Korean language service earlier this year. Accordingly, the number of users in South Korea is gradually increasing.
The problem lies in the digital platform nature of OnlyFans, which makes it easy for minors to access pornographic content. There are also concerns that OnlyFans could be used for digital sexual exploitation crimes.
In principle, OnlyFans requires content sellers to undergo adult verification beyond the membership registration process. This involves uploading a "selfie" taken while holding an ID card photo and receiving verification from the administrators. However, there are concerns that forged or digitally manipulated ID photos could deceive the system.
In July, the British media BBC reported a case of a 16-year-old girl who used a fake ID to join OnlyFans and sold pornographic content multiple times.
There are also worries that OnlyFans could be used as a gateway for digital sexual exploitation. OnlyFans has a feature where subscribers can send a small amount of money as a "tip" attached to messages to creators, which could be exploited to harass creators by forcing them to produce specific content.
The British media outlet BBC previously reported on a case of a 16-year-old girl who joined OnlyFans and earned subscription revenue by producing pornographic content. / Photo by The Sun website capture
As a result, public opinion on OnlyFans is divided.
A 20-something office worker, Mr. A, said, "I see more accounts promoting OnlyFans when using SNS, which makes me frown. Minors can easily access it, so isn't it basically no different from pornography? I think appropriate regulatory measures are needed."
B (32), who works in the IT industry, pointed out, "Digital sexual exploitation crimes like the 'Nth Room' case happened in secret messenger rooms, so a closed SNS where money actually changes hands would be the perfect environment for such crimes. It doesn't seem like a safe platform."
On the other hand, there was a rebuttal that OnlyFans could make sex work a much safer industry. C (29), an office worker, said, "I've heard some sex workers face problems due to physical violence, harsh working conditions, and unsanitary environments, but at least OnlyFans allows them to create and sell digital content at their preferred times. I think it could be a safer alternative to the existing sex industry."
Experts suggest that digital platforms like OnlyFans help improve the working conditions of sex workers but warn that preparations must be made for new crimes such as digital sexual exploitation.
Tilla Sanders, a professor of criminology at the University of Leicester in the UK, said in an interview with BBC last July, "According to my research, as sex workers moved from face-to-face contact to digital platforms, physical violence against them has actually decreased significantly. This means the internet has made the sex industry safer."
However, she added, "Digital platforms bring new threats different from the past to sex workers. Digital stalking, threats via SNS, sexual harassment, and sexual exploitation can be problematic. Digital platform operators and regulatory authorities need to make greater efforts and take responsibility to protect content creators."
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