OnlyFans stops paying Russian content creators on its platform over Ukraine war

By Harriet Piercy

Published Apr 25, 2022 at 12:39 PM

Reading time: 2 minutes

30485

OnlyFans, the subscription platform that allows users to pay in exchange for access to their favourite influencer’s exclusive content (which can range from anything like suggestive pictures and X-rated videos to workout routines and food recipes), has temporarily paused services for all of its Russian accounts. Up until now, the UK-based tech company had been one of a few well-known Western companies that had continued to operate in Russia since the country’s invasion of Ukraine. But don’t get mistaken, the recent restrictions aren’t driven by humanitarian reasons, but rather by a technical issue.

According to The Independent, the company said in a statement to Motherboard that “OnlyFans is a creator-first business” and that “over the past few months we have explored several options to continue providing our services to creators impacted by the Russia/Ukraine war. However, due to a further tightening of payment restrictions to and from Russia, OnlyFans can no longer properly serve our Russian creator community. As a result, we are taking steps to temporarily pause accounts where payments are received in Russia.”

This isn’t the first time that OnlyFans has done this either, as back in February when the latest invasion into Ukraine first began, Rolling Stone reported that Russian creators on the platform received a message from support that read: “Please be informed that your country is not supported for payouts, therefore we are unable to assist you regarding that matter at this time.” This restriction was lifted shortly after.

All online creators based in Russia have been stifled by restrictions across the tech board, such as by YouTube, Instagram and many payment operators including American Express and Mastercard—as well as, critically, being partly banned from the SWIFT framework that underpins many financial transactions.

Simply put, OnlyFans has had to enforce such restrictions due to the fact that the platform is unable to support payments that are generated by the tech company from creators and users, and it is unclear as to how long this will remain in place. Sadly, this means that the livelihood of all online creators is at stake—with many (if not, most) relying solely on social media platforms such as OnlyFans, Instagram and YouTube as their main source of income.

However, the latest change in such policies is forcing the media generation to rethink and recourse ways of getting paid for services. Is this the chance cryptocurrencies have been waiting for in becoming a blanket form of transactions globally? Well, it’s starting to seem as though it might be. This is, arguably, the first major real-world test as to how ordinary people will start to value cryptocurrency.

There is one vital necessity Russian creators could purchase to continue their online communications, a VPN—allowing them to access the broader web outside the country. Of course, due to financial restrictions, foreign-based VPN providers don’t accept Russian bank cards, but they do take Bitcoin. Although Russia is in fact one of the world’s largest miners of Bitcoin, it is still not the biggest—making it vulnerable to further sanctions just like SWIFT.

However, blocking crypto transactions could undoubtedly prove more challenging because digital currencies are designed to exist, for the most part, without borders.

Keep On Reading

By Charlie Sawyer

Jenna Ortega seriously shades Johnny Depp in recent viral interview

By Charlie Sawyer

How a viral Etsy review sparked a feminist movement on TikTok by inspiring women to embrace the bush

By Charlie Sawyer

Conspiracy theorists claim Los Angeles wildfires were started on purpose to make way for SmartLA 2028 agenda

By Charlie Sawyer

The best audiobooks to unleash your main character energy, free with Amazon Music

By Abby Amoakuh

What is dark feminine energy? A complete breakdown of the witchy vibe taking over TikTok

By Alma Fabiani

Don’t gatekeep your clothes anymore, join Traid’s Closet Clear-Out Challenge

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

TikTok’s airport tray aesthetic trend says a lot about Gen Z’s quest for control and creativity

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Study reveals alarming suicide rates among female doctors linked to misogyny and harassment

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Old footage resurfaces allegedly showing Matilda Djerf mistreating Djerf Avenue employees

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

From Top G to PM? Andrew Tate’s Bruv Party launch sparks outrage

By Louis Shankar

5 essential TV shows to watch before the chaos of the 2024 US presidential election

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Bad Bunny’s album is a love letter to the iconic white plastic chair at family gatherings

By Charlie Sawyer

Young men are turning to testosterone boosters in new TikTok trend linked to right-wing rhetoric

By Charlie Sawyer

Misogyny to be labelled as extremism in the UK as Labour ramp up national security review

By Charlie Sawyer

BrewDog co-founder James Watt’s problematic past resurfaces amid work/life balance controversy

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

What is Libs of TikTok, and who is Chaya Raichik, the woman behind the far-right account?

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

From immigration to gender identity, Trump’s orders threaten an exclusionary future for the US

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

The Real Housewives of Dubai star faces backlash over healing retreats promising to cure cancer

By Abby Amoakuh

Meet the CEO of Hulah, the dating app born out of a need to weed out weirdos

By Charlie Sawyer

From his beef with Taylor Swift to losing Justin Bieber’s loyalty, here’s why Scooter Braun is in his flop era