cross-posted from: https://lemy.lol/post/50711475
A new study published in the journal Sexuality & Culture has found that many adolescents in Spain, including those as young as 12, are not only aware of OnlyFans but also see it as a viable and even empowering way to make money. In group discussions with over 160 teenagers, researchers discovered that platforms promoting erotic content are influencing how young people—especially girls—view economic opportunity, self-worth, and sexuality. Teens frequently framed content creation as a personal choice or expression of agency, while minimizing the risks.
Should change the ‘Block’ button to ‘Call the Pentagon’
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LOL, I was being sarcastic, I know Pentagon is under Trump’s control, maybe change to ‘Submit’ button is more obvious. So you can only to agree either way, LOL
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Most people making only fans content barely make any money if they make anything at all. Reality will hit those kids hard if they go into adulthood thinking it’s a viable alternative to a traditional job. I used to know a woman that made only fans content and she worked a full time job as well. The market is already saturated.
Yeah, my partner was in the top 0.5% of OF models for a while and the payout was maybe $150 every three months. The wild and vast majority of people will never make any money from it, given the $100 minimum before you get paid. I don’t think people understand just how rare it is to make money from the platform.
Holy shit, what?? That’s robbery…wow.
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Buddy, wait until you hear about music streaming services.
Friend of mine has some tracks on Spotify, Tidal, Deezer etc. Only about 5,000 plays on each, and has yet to see a single penny
Really!? In the top 0.5%!? Was this in the early days or are they really just not paying anybody?
This was relatively recently.
Tempering that number slightly is just -how many people- are on the platform, 1 in 200 getting paid out isn’t as unreasonable when every fifth person on the planet (seemingly…) has an account. It’s all luck based, and most people unfortunately just don’t make any sales because they weren’t the lucky one chosen by the Horny Zeitgeist that round.
… And that minor bootlicking out of the way (don’t kinkshame me) yeah they stand out as being predatory even in an industry renowned for exploitative practices. It’s pretty fucking awful.
“What if we combined the hellishness of the porn industry, with the hellishness of gig work?”
Your wife would have probably been better off camgirl-ing at that point.
Disclaimer: no twelve year old or any underage minor, under any circumstances, should be considering any of this as a viable alternative to traditional white or blue collar labor.
Yeah, it’s pretty well advertised that most of the money is made by a small handful of people at the top, and the vast majority make next to nothing.
So it’s like the rest of the economy?
Hmm, sounds vaguely familiar 🤔 maybe they should give all creators a minimum pay out…
Most people making only fans content barely make any money if they make anything at all
This is beginning increasingly true for all jobs.
Reality will hit those kids hard if they go into adulthood thinking it’s a viable alternative
They’re twelve, when I was twelve I wanted to be an astronaut. “Twelve year olds don’t fully understand the economy” isn’t some new thing.
It’s not surprising to me at all. I occasionally have to use TikTok for work (ugh), and some of the hashtags I have to check on are also used by children, so young kids will often pop up in my work feed. Usually it’s just something benign like a dancing video, but I’ve stumbled on some where these kids, who aren’t even out of high school, talking about how they’re going to “drop the link” the day they turn 18, which for some of these kids isn’t for another five damn years. It’s disturbing how open children are about entering this line of work. And it doesn’t help that they constantly have adults creeping around in kids’ thirst trap videos, validating these thoughts in their comments.
I don’t like where this is headed.
Christ…what a insane world we live in…like that’s…just…wow…
If I could’ve become a porn star as a teenager, I absolutely would’ve done. Don’t forget that teenagers are horny. Heck, I remember talking with my friends about sexual fantasies before I was in double digits. Sure, they were incredibly under-informed fantasies bordering on cartoon parody, but the urge was there.
Well it’s more appealing because you can get more money from it by selling feet pictures, compared to someone who worked at traditional work and already PhD that always struggle live paycheck to paycheck.
If you want kids think traditional works are better, you need to raise minimum wage first so it appealed to kidsThe key word here is “can”, not “will”. By far most models on onlyfans don’t make shit.
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Exactly. “Kids say they consider work avenue that might sound exciting.” When people say they can make shit tons of money, and they don’t realize how much work it would take, it would always sound appealing.
Many admitted to accessing this content despite OnlyFans’ age restrictions, describing various workarounds to bypass verification systems.
So this is why the UK is ruining free speech.
companies must strengthen policies to prevent the promotion of sexualized content to minors. This could include better age verification tools, restrictions on algorithm-driven exposure to adult content, and increased transparency about how platforms target young users.
We need to demand transparency on how everyone is targeted. In fact; we need to end the surveillance economy all together. Make social media unprofitable.
we need to end the surveillance economy all together. Make social media unprofitable.
THIS!
I did once consider making an onlyfans account for math tutorials.
“Come watch my new video on non-euclidean planes, you won’t believe the angles we can manage!”
“Tonight I take it deeper than ever before and explore the depths of Heyting Arithmetic.”
Filth.
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Same, how many abs need to be visible before someone wants to pay to see my penis? Is there a calculator or something online?
8
Shit. Well, I’m less-than-10 away.
Alluring until you figure out that there is heavy competition.
Also; surely Image generators can make feet pictures at this point. Customers can even specify how many toes they want.
Not a foot guy, but I imagine just knowing it’s a real person adds something. Especially since image generators are horrible at making two separate pictures look like they’re from the same person. Someday, they’ll probably get good enough that it won’t be an issue, but not yet.
Especially since image generators are horrible at making two separate pictures look like they’re from the same person
they’re actually getting good at this, however, since most of the stuff is lazily made from generic corporate LLMs instead of a custom local one using loras trained on specific image sets.
They always said the future of US employment was the service economy.
I bet the USA is already the top porn exporter
This is one thing I think about with AI and technological progress. Optimists say that technological advancement could free people up for more creative work, fund UBI, etc.
I think that without a serious overhaul of the legal and societal frameworks of Western countries, jobs that only people can do well or are too costly to automate could become the only way to earn a living for most people.
Like sex work, for instance. The poor underclass would expand, the wealth gap would widen and labor exploitation would become much worse. Voíla, suddenly children seeing prostitution as an aspirational career becomes more common because that may be an increasingly likely eventuality.
My girlfriend keeps telling me i could make a fortune off my feet. If I ever meet someone with an actual feet fetish i will make sure to get them rated.
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Once I did an Amazon mechanical Turk thing where they were paying $1 for pictures of feet. For a “study” of course. My feet were rejected 🙃
That is deeply disturbing.
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You get down voted because the goat herder’s guide to the galaxy isn’t relevant to anything.
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given that billions of people believe in it,
No they don’t.
Seek the truth, always.
rational Christian
contradiction in terms
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Rather, the contradiction means you’re wrong about one or both of those labels. But I doubt you haven’t heard all that before.
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You’d compare yourself to them with a straight face? I must be the Pope.
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newton did not invent calculus.
while he discovered it around the same time, Leibniz invented the notation we use today.
That verse could be cited at any point in history to show civilization’s “rot”. The problem we have now is capitalism, not that we are unholy or whatever.
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How old is planet earth?
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Nobody needs an old story book to know how to be a good person. The issue lies not with a lack of bibles, but with a manufactured lack of social cohesion. Years of propaganda against socialism and unions have lured a big part of the US population in a trap of “hyperindiviualism”, where you are preyed upon if you don’t play the same game of “me first”.
Fixing this needs politicians that come from the people and work for the people, but the rich part of society has undermined the (sadly bad designed) process where such people can rise up into positions where they can make decisions. The common folk is under permanent attack by the 0.1%, and many of them (see MAGA) don’t even recognize from where the systematic violence they are experiencing comes, because they get fed that socialism is the thing that oppresses them.
If you add religion to this cocktail, it acts like adding a hypergolic fuel into a house fire. It gets instrumentalised to create an in-group and to define an outgroup. Religion is not the way out.
The US are in quite a pickle, and from the outside i don’t see many peaceful ways out of this situation.
Seek the truth, always.
“Myths and legends” found without bibles aren’t typically held out as truth…
Seek the truth, always.
What a wonderfully substantive argument lmao
Seek the truth, always.
When an LLM does it, we call it AI slop. Why is it that when a human does it, we call it faith?
There are currently more American OnlyFans models than American teachers. Our society is dead.
Do OF models need a degree to start modeling?
“Our society is dead” because enough of them would rather earn the degree and/or teach to make up the difference, particularly vs the vast majority of OF models who aren’t making anything close to a livable, or even minimum, wage for their efforts.
Honestly though, I doubt there are more OF models making a decent amount of money than there are teachers, just yet.
My point is we as a society would rather see our young population do OF than pay for their college and ensure they have a positive outcome in life that benefits of society. Should a degree be less appealing to individuals on mass than showing your body online? We need fucking teachers magnitudes more than OF models. But when you suggest rasing taxes so people can become teachers, doctors, artist, photographers, parents, electricians, etc. People are opting for~$200 month on OF. A Degree should be valuable again. Not because it qualifies you for a job but it shows you put in work to learn something greater than yourself. Our nation is dead because we don’t care. Someone pointing out that there are more people fucking themselves literally on camera, while millions of students have a unqualified teacher (because there’s been a 40 year teacher shortage in America no one talks about, so poor schools literally have people who only passed a background check teaching math), overcrowded classes, and underpaid/under supported teachers and staff. But Ya you don’t need a degree to start modeling, thank you for pointing out the obvious.
some of what you say may be true but it’s completely irrelevant to the number of OF models vs teachers.
some of what you are saying is neither true nor exists outside of your disney tinted view of the world.
Should a degree be less appealing to individuals on mass than showing your body online?
People who choose to show their body on onlyfans has no bearing on the appeal of a degree. Not only is your opinion prudish and outdated in our sex positive world, you are attempting to take away their agency through shame.
You have shown no proof that the same people aren’t interested in pursuing a degree or don’t have a degree. It’s not an either or.
There are a myriad of reasons for the teaching shortage and general state of education today. Wealth distribution should be better and the US needs to vastly improve their social safety nets.
None of that has to do with OnlyFans. Hell even if you magically fixed just about every one of those issues there would probably still be more OF models than teachers. And I’m sure you’d still find more ways to shout that society is dead.
A Degree should be valuable again. Not because it qualifies you for a job but it shows you put in work to learn something greater than yourself.
Btw, a degree is less valuable now because there are more of them. That’s a supply and demand problem.
A degree is only partially about “learning something greater than yourself”. That’s some romanticized version from books or movies or maybe for affluent white folks. No parents are putting their children in tens/hundreds of thousands in debt for the pursuit of greater learning.
It has always been about the return on investment from the degree in the way of better opportunities, with a splash of greater learning and finding yourself as an adult.
Anyway point being no need to blame OF for your cynical views of society.
I did have this whole response going point by point but I don’t think you are understanding what I’m getting at so let me try this way…
Do you believe our economic, political, and social systems are inherently designed by and is in service of the patriarchy. (my opinion is they are.) and because of that and our unwillingness to destroy those systems means we can dance around our differences in philosophy. But know I understand where you are coming from, however our reality is (because those in power are the ones who actually decide very important things like employment, laws, and social norms do care.) Outside of the top models it’s destructive to their future. Unless you, me and everyone else is willing to burn down capitalism, destroy our failed democracy, and reprogram our societies priorities OF is not a wise choice. In fact seeing 12 year olds seeing OF as a more viable option for a career is alarming! I would feel 100 times better about these developments if everyone’s basic needs were met.
Do you believe there would be more or less OF models if everyone’s basic needs were met?
I believe most OF models would choose something else if our patriarchal systems didn’t boil individuals down to just a commodity. I don’t see OF models as less than. In fact I (just my penis) stared in a couple OF videos with a trans woman. But our realities are different. I wish it was different. But it’s not. And its only getting worse. So tread carefully because those who can actual impact these OF models lives hold all the cards.
I’m personally glad we are stepping back to a place of rational discussion. And to preface, i don’t mean for any criticism directed at you to be a personal attack but rather challenging the opinion you are holding.
To start off, yes I’ll agree that our society is designed and in service of the patriarchy. I wouldn’t agree to a blanket destruction of said system simply because you cannot guarantee any system that comes after it will be “better”. It’s easier (not that it is easy) and more pragmatic to change the parts we don’t like incrementally.
To that end, one of the ways to make OF modelling less destructive is to reprogram society to not shame women’s sexuality and to make it so the choice of OF modeling is not so consequential. This would be preferably than to remove a woman’s agency. Funny enough this would upend the patriarchy more than discourging women from expressing their sexuality. And please please note I am not suggesting you mean to literally take away women’s choice, nor am I suggesting teens be allowed to do this.
As for the choice itself, I think there are 2 other points.
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it seems the study may be conflating teens saying they feel content creation is a viable future career to them saying they want to be OF models. In general content creators has been a top teen choice for a while now.
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You should give the girls more credit as they seem to understand what OF modeling means. The entire article talks about how surprising it is that the teens understood in detail the aspects of OF. Here is an exerpt
Girls in particular recognized the tension between agency and coercion. Some said it was a personal choice, while others pointed out that financial need often makes the decision feel less than voluntary. A few even likened it to prostitution, questioning whether anyone truly chooses to sell intimate content if they are struggling economically. This tension echoed broader concerns in the literature about how the language of empowerment can mask deeper power imbalances.
Teens acknowledging that OF modeling is a viable career option does not necessarily mean they want to do it themselves.
Let me address one now point
Do you believe there would be more or less OF models if everyone’s basic needs were met?
This question suggests that OF models are being coerced or that it’s paying enough to cover basic needs.
Well i don’t believe you have the data on number of OF models being coerced into doing it and we do know and agree that 99% plus of OF models do not make much money, so it can’t be covering basic needs.
So from that, if we lived in a utopia with UBI and everyone could choose what they want to do, I don’t know for sure there would be a decrease in OF modeling. It would be the same as asking if I feel there would be a decrease in YouTube or twitch creators. There are a lot of content creators out there because there is a low barrier of entry. I imagine there will always be people wanting to try and eventually growing out of it. It’s not about basic needs. It’s a lottery ticket to economic mobility.
My original comment is from a rational point of view as 1. We live in a Patriarchal world regardless of what we want things to be. Having progressive individuals rise through the system is our only path forward because… 2. We are unwilling to “throw the baby out with the bath water.” so the Patriarchy is here to stay for a very very long time. Me suggesting that more progressive individuals consider other options to protect themselves from what the Patriarchy has in store for them regardless of their motivations for becoming an OF model; isn’t shaming!!! It’s the funcking truth!
This question suggests that OF models are being coerced or that it’s paying enough to cover basic needs. Well i don’t believe you have the data on number of OF models being coerced into doing it and we do know and agree that 99% plus of OF models do not make much money, so it can’t be covering basic needs.
Yes, I do believe uneducated (because poor area schools are little better than daycare despite all the hard work and love put in by those schools’ teachers and staff) individuals are unable to identify the true causes of the pain in their lives, so individuals who have more options that choose OF are less impacted by external factors. And yes I believe many enter as a way to make ends meet and not thinking they are going to be the next viral Model. So either they are delusional/unaware/see no other option. I don’t see these people as egotistical, dumb, or naive to the impact being an OF model can and likely will have on their prospects within our current society. So then why is it a growing profession? Why does one demographic of individuals get pulled into that line of work over others? Do more come from poor or rich backgrounds? Are more women or men choosing that as a career? Are the customers of such content more Progressive or Conservative? The answer to all those questions leads one to believe OF isn’t just this harmless activity that’s empowering individuals. It’s in service to and ultimately a way to oppress the vast majority of its content creators. (Sounds a lot like capitalism)
Finally, Im continously amazed how anyone can think we can save aspects of our current systems. Any return to “normalcy” is a slap to those who suffered under what others perceived as functional or equitable. Marginalized communities deserve better. I don’t have all the answers but Capitalism, Communism or whatever we had in the past left more people to suffer so fewer and fewer people could have more. The clock is one minute from midnight. Not trying to be an alarmist but damn is this the best we can muster? (as a collective, humanity is really sad right now)
To your first and last point, I ask you this: do you believe the Patriarchal world we live in today is the same as the Patriarchal world from 100 years ago? 50 years ago? Even 25 years ago. I don’t believe so and that is due to the incremental progress we made.
Could it be better if we just tore it all down and installed some new system we don’t know about yet and have not agreed upon? Maybe. And it could also be much much worse. We have no way of knowing so while you are concerned about the end being near, you also correctly surmised there is no better known solution.
And yes I believe many enter as a way to make ends meet and not thinking they are going to be the next viral Model. So either they are delusional/unaware/see no other option.
And you realize this is not what the study is showing right? The study says that the teenagers have a “sophisticated” understanding of how OF works.
And yes I believe many enter as a way to make ends meet and not thinking they are going to be the next viral Model.
I mentioned this already but this does not square with your understanding that OF for most people do not pay enough to make ends meet. You can’t say there is a sizable number if OF models making a living and also acknowledge that point the top .5% or so actually make real money from the platform.
So for the vast majority of OF models, they would try it, find out it does not work for them, and exit. Their identity is mostly drowned out by the sheer numbers that exist. Is there still possible societal consequences should they get outed? Yes. BUT i argue that is more reason to change societal views through acceptance rather than promote existing Patriarchal standards in stopping them.
You ask a lot of questions regarding the data you neither have nor can correlate to “oppression”. You’re kind of just throwing it out there and saying it is.
One last point - the article says (emphasis by me)
"While some teens exposed discomfort with the sexual content associated with OnlyFans, others framed participation as a rational economic decision, especially for girls who might not pursue traditional education or employment
So the teens think it’s a viable economic plan for those who already were but planning to pursue traditional education or employment.
While it would obviously be better if those who are in this nontraditional bucket had even more options, i would prefer not to limit them more than they are already limited.
(Humanity has had some pretty low points recently but that was definitely after some highs. And as much as we would like it to be a straight shot up to utopia progress is generally more bumpy than that and it’s what makes achievements more satisfying. People probably felt the end of the world during WW2 but look how many highs came after)
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My point is we as a society would rather see our young population do OF than pay for their college and ensure they have a positive outcome in life that benefits of society. Should teaching be less appealing to individuals on mass than showing your body online? We need fucking teachers magnitudes more than OF models. But when you suggest rasing taxes so people can become teachers, doctors, artist, photographers, parents, electricians, etc. People are opting for~$200 month on OF. Teaching should be valuable again. Not because OF models aren’t worthy of something but it shows you put in work to do something greater than yourself. Our nation is dead because we don’t care. Someone pointing out that there are more people fucking themselves literally on camera, while millions of students have a unqualified teacher (because there’s been a 40 year teacher shortage in America no one talks about, so poor schools literally have people who only passed a background check teaching math), overcrowded classes, and underpaid/under supported teachers and staff. But Ya my comment is ignorant. I expect the community here to understand that my comment doesn’t ring any less true when we look at things with a little less anger and more intellect. You should be worried that there are more OF models than teachers in America. It’s a litmus test form the health and direction of our nation. I have no issue with OF my issue is our society can’t survive on gig work like OF, UBER, and shit. We’re headed for a world where every social positive worker is also a gig worker on the side. How long until social positive work becomes gigified? Your Uber driver will teach your kids addition and subtraction on the drive to the airport?! Your community social worker also needs to be an OF model?
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and some teachers end up doing OF instead, less ungrateful children to deal with, and district admin bs.
