A Little Background
It is safe to say that today’s technology industry is completely dominated by two things; smartphones and social media. Billions of people are now connected to the internet, most of all on smartphones and more than half of the entire population of earth is on social media. These statistics are as clear as it gets -social media is the number one global hangout!
The social media landscape is now dominated by a select few. Let’s list the top 5 companies that take the cake when it comes to the number of users they attract;
- YouTube
- Facebook Messenger
It is incredible to think about what a turnaround cyberspace has had in only a little over a decade, most of which stems from Facebook’s launch at the time. We then got Twitter, of course, Instagram and Snapchat followed suit a few years later, which brought us the ‘stories’ craze and that was that. Social media trends were set for what seems to be the foreseeable future.
Today’s social media trends are highly connected to earning and influencers, with new business models and platforms constantly appearing. However, a real disruptor among all of these is a black sheep called OnlyFans, which has meshed stories and adult content into a very profitable business model, especially profitable during the pandemic.
The amount of users and earnings on OnlyFans constantly hits record levels, but so does the controversy and the problems surrounding the platform. Let’s take a look at how these problems translate for content creators and subscribers of OnlyFans.
What is OnlyFans?
OnlyFans is a content subscription service based out of London, UK. OnlyFans was created in 2016 but has only recently become a household name, garnering over 60 million users and almost a million content creators, widely known and discussed on social media for several reasons. The issue with OnlyFans is the seedy nature of the platform -the fact that pornographic models and the like are the main user base (to be fair, there is valuable content other than the adult variety). So, because of the nature of the platform and the user base it attracts, OnlyFans has had its fair share of problems.
OnlyFans’s Security And Privacy Issues
The way OnlyFans works is, it’s based on a paid subscription model where ‘fans’ will pay a fee to get access to influencers or the adult variety (content creators) -who usually plug their OnlyFans accounts via platforms like Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram. Understood, but what are some events that tainted OnlyFans’s reputation as a secure platform? Here are just a few for reference;
- Stolen content from OnlyFans content creators
- Death threats aimed at the creators
- Exploitation
- Issues with drugs and the law
- The Bella Thorne case
- Allegations of fraud and data leaks
- Problems with payouts for content creators
- Content creators losing their accounts
- Underage users posting content
Cybersecurity Tips for Content Creators And Subscribers
Given the issues OnlyFans has had above, there are going to be many things to be wary of if you are looking to join OnlyFans, either as a content creator or subscriber. It is important to note that content can always be leaked, stolen, or misused on a platform like OnlyFans. Such platforms are not exactly exemplary in terms of privacy, security, and accountability so if you are sensitive at all about the possibility of this – do not join such a platform in the first place.
So, you’ve decided to join OnlyFans as your side, or main hustle, or simply as a viewer? Let’s look at the privacy and security side for you. According to information from OnlyFans, they suggest some security measures when joining the platform;
- Keep your account secure with two-step verification
- It is suggested that you watermark content for copyright purposes
- They suggest you use a strong password
- A support team is available which will assist you
- A copyright team is also available for issues with stolen content
- You are given the ability to restrict or block users
- They offer visibility settings for your account
If you are joining the platform, you need to implement the above points on your account. Although, if you are looking to seriously secure yourself (which you should) from any potential harm as either a subscriber or content creator, do apply the following steps;
- First and foremost, only register your financial data with trustworthy organizations
- Always have your Virtual Private Network or VPN active while on OnlyFans
- Use trustworthy antivirus and antimalware programs on your devices
- Use a separate device for work, and a separate one for use with OnlyFans
- The same goes for your email address, do not offer your sensitive email addresses
- Regularly check your OnlyFans login history, to make sure that it is only you using it
Remember that, if you are a content creator on any adult platform, there are very real dangers of having unknown users watching you via webcam. Especially on a platform like OnlyFans, where a lot of sensitive media and financial information is being circulated, as well as millions of shady users looking to hack accounts, your security (virtual and physical) is potentially compromised.
