What are the biggest safety risks for women starting OnlyFans accounts?
Creating content for OnlyFans comes with many of the same risks associated with any aspect of the adult industry, from leaks, to harassment and even blackmail. Given the site is hosted online, a creator's content is easily accessible by just about anyone, anywhere, meaning copyright protection is even more important for creators hoping to prevent their intimate content being distributed elsewhere.
"We have seen increased risk of sexual harassment, exploitation, online bullying and [creators] becoming victims of revenge porn. The primary safety and security risk is your content and copyright," says an Airase spokesperson.
"The greatest problem we see is that these women start an account on a platform which should be safe, private and in their control however when these women aren't being proactive about copyright protection, their content gets leaked onto potentially harmful and unsafe websites that can't be so clearly monitored by you or your team."
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How can creators protect themselves from leaks on OnlyFans?
Many Aussies who have considered starting an OnlyFans account or already have one up and running fear their content being leaked to social media or their friends and family. We saw how damaging that can be when it happened to Domenica on MAFS - but how can you prevent it?
"At the end of the day, mitigating leaks is about being proactive rather than reactive. A lot of our talent like to wait until their content is leaked to take action, but then the situation becomes 10 times harder to control and minimise," says the Airase spokesperson.
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Instead, they suggest creators seek out copyright insurance that can protect their content in the case of a leak and include up to date copyright disclaimers in your account bio. Some copyright enforcement agencies also offer scanning services that regularly scour the web to make sure none of your content has been leaked and works quickly to remove it if it has.
When sharing explicit content directly with specific subscribers, it's also wise to include a unique watermark or symbol so if anything gets leaked, it's easy to identify the culprit.
Does creating content on OnlyFans put creators at risk of becoming victims of revenge porn?
Though a creator's OnlyFans content sits behind a paywall and is protected by the platform's terms of service, some creators can still be targeted by people intent on harming them by leaking their content. In some cases, this can be a form of image based abuse known as 'revenge porn'.
"Whilst the platform is becoming widely accepted it is still a taboo industry and is a relatively new platform with a lot of mixed opinions," explains the Airase spokesperson. "You would be surprised by the types of people who will commit revenge porn as well. It's always the people you least expect."
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If you or anyone you know thinks they have been a victim of revenge porn, help is available. Any Australian who experiences image-based abuse or 'revenge porn' can make a report to the eSafety Commissioner on this website. You can also report the abuse to OnlyFans directly as well as to police.
How can women using OnlyFans deal with harassment or unwanted behaviour from subscribers?
Because OnlyFans allows content creators to run their accounts however they like, it's easy to block and report subscribers who cross boundaries or engage in harassment. However, Airase encourages creators to establish boundaries early to prevent unwanted behaviour from occurring in the first place.
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"Set the boundaries early! Whether it is with an automated message when someone subscribes or a weekly notification laying out the boundaries and expectations of your subscribers, it makes the world of difference," they say.
Creators are also encouraged to follow through with consequences like blocking rude subscribers, because "no amount of money is worth the mental and emotional turmoil that can come with people who choose to keep breaching the rules."
Where should creators go for help if they are facing revenge porn, leaks or harassment?
In confronting situations like dealing with leaks or revenge porn, creators should immediately seek both legal and emotional support. That may start with going to the police or a legal team, speaking with a copyright enforcement agency and reaching out to OnlyFans directly. You can also report image-based abuse or 'revenge porn' to the eSafety Commissioner on this website.
"Another really great pillar of support is a legal team or the police. At Airase we work very closely with both as we handle out of court cease & desists and can refer you out when necessary," says the Airase spokesperson. "Most of the time cases don't escalate to law enforcement but there are cases that require further investigation and care."
It can also be helpful to reach out to a counsellor, therapist or trusted friend to speak about the emotional impacts of these situations.
"No matter how much you love it [the adult industry], it can get really tough on the worst of days and it is super important to know that you always have someone in your corner."
If you are looking to be proactive when it comes to protecting yourself and your content online, head over to www.airase.io to speak to a copyright consultant.
