No Data on Domestic Users and Revenue of OnlyFans
Broadcasting Commission: "There Are Limits to Forcing Arbitrary Measures"
Broadcasting Commission Requests Telegram to Designate Youth Protection Officer
Obscene materials are being secretly distributed in South Korea through the subscription-based adult online platform 'OnlyFans.' However, national agencies, including the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC), have been unable to control this. While they have announced strong measures against Telegram, which has recently become a hotbed for illegal deepfake videos, their stance toward OnlyFans has been lukewarm, citing "limitations."
According to the office of Lee Hun-ki, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, the KCSC decided on 13 corrective action requests related to OnlyFans from January to September this year. When illegal adult content is distributed on OnlyFans, the KCSC can verify it and block access via domestic internet addresses (IP addresses). However, the number of corrective requests has been decreasing annually. The KCSC decided on 20 cases in 2021, 1 case in 2022, and 15 cases in 2023. A KCSC official stated, "Even when reports related to OnlyFans are received, the obscene materials sometimes disappear before the issue is formally addressed."
It has also been revealed that the number of domestic creators or users on OnlyFans has not yet been identified. The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) responded that it has "no data" regarding the number of domestic creators, users, or revenue on OnlyFans. The distribution of harmful media content to minors on OnlyFans is also unknown. The KCC said, "OnlyFans does not officially provide services targeting Korea, so it is necessary to review the applicability of extraterritorial regulations such as labeling harmful media for minors," but added, "In reality, there are limitations to forcibly imposing proactive measures on OnlyFans."
OnlyFans is a global online platform founded in 2016 by British entrepreneur Tim Stokely. According to OnlyFans' parent company, Fenix International, the platform had 350 million users as of last year. Unlike YouTube, which distributes revenue based on subscriber count or video views, OnlyFans operates on a structure where subscribers pay creators directly to access content. However, OnlyFans gained popularity because it allows easy uploading and viewing of obscene materials. OnlyFans has set a policy not to block the distribution of any obscene content as long as it does not involve child and adolescent sexual exploitation materials, revenge porn, or content related to extreme self-harm or violence.
Uploading obscene materials to OnlyFans is illegal in South Korea. According to Article 44-7, Paragraph 1 of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection (Information and Communications Network Act), distributing, selling, or renting obscene videos is prohibited. However, related incidents continue to occur. In 2022, the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency arrested and sent a couple to prosecution on charges of distributing obscene materials under the Information and Communications Network Act after they filmed their sexual activities and distributed the videos through OnlyFans. They are accused of creating 106 obscene videos since 2021 and earning 204 million KRW in subscription fees on OnlyFans.
OnlyFans Used by Celebrities in Korea... KCC Says "Limitations to Forcing Measures"
It is presumed that OnlyFans is secretly used in South Korea to the extent that celebrities post content on the platform. Singer Park Jae-beom posted a photo on his OnlyFans account in June showing himself topless wearing women's underwear. He also uploaded videos of himself exercising in underwear. On the 11th of this month, Park appeared on a variety show and said, "I was thinking about how to promote (my song), and since it had explicit lyrics, I used a platform with that kind of branding," adding, "OnlyFans is a platform where only my fans can subscribe. I used the branding that many people misunderstand."
Unlike OnlyFans, national agencies such as the KCC have announced plans to strongly respond to Telegram, which has been pointed out as a distribution channel for illegal deepfake videos. On the 12th of this month, the KCC officially sent a request letter to Telegram, asking them to designate a youth protection officer at the executive level to enforce youth protection duties. On the 30th of last month, the KCSC held its first face-to-face working-level meeting with Telegram at the Broadcasting Hall in Mok-dong, Seoul. Ryu Hee-rim, Chairperson of the KCSC, stated, "Telegram responded that they will proactively cooperate with the Korean National Police Agency and the KCC."
Each time controversies arise, opinions are voiced that instead of temporary fixes, the current status of platforms where obscene materials are easily distributed, such as OnlyFans, should first be understood. The National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Communications Committee plans to summon OnlyFans CEO Kayleigh Blair as a witness during this month's national audit. Representative Lee said, "Many overseas platforms do not even fulfill legal obligations such as designating youth protection officers, but the KCC is standing by," criticizing, "If existing systems are not properly enforced, the pattern of waiting for problems to occur before solving them will continue."
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