For creators selling adult art, such as specific comic books or obscene cosplay photographs, those sudden policy adjustments can be detrimental and lead to a loss of revenue.
“I participate in many degrees for my livelihood and that of all kinds of creators in my field: artists, writers, sex workers, and content creators of all kinds,” Sleepingirl, a perverted educator and writer, told TechCrunch. It’s clearly far from being the first site to come under pressure from payment processors, and possibly won’t be the last, however, it’s the first time my content (which is primarily educational and educational) has been threatened. “
Adult creators are advised to anticipate this type of deplatforming; it happened on Patreon, which was much more lax when it came to NSFW content, and it almost happened on Onlyfans. But that doesn’t make the effect of those policy adjustments any less debilitating. When creators want to move their fans to a new platform or direct their enthusiasts to another online store to purchase their products, friction can lead to a loss of revenue.
“We’ve been asked to be more rigorous in enforcing our terms of service and we want to abide by them,” Gumroad founder Sahil Lavingia told TechCrunch. He declined to say which company had asked Gumroad to enforce stricter rules. “It sucks to do that. We don’t take lightly the fact that many creators rely on Gumroad for their livelihood and we’ve communicated that to our partners anywhere and we can,” he said. “We’ve been around since 2011 and this is not a new fight. It’s ongoing.
This resolution may not be smart for Gumroad’s business either: the platform helps maintain a 10% discount on every sale, and adult content is popular on the platform. Competitors, such as Just For Fans, are already taking advantage of the possibility. to bring in those displaced creators.
– JustForFans (@JustForFansSite) March 15, 2024
It’s getting harder and harder to monetize sex work online. In 2021, OnlyFans announced that it would no longer host adult content, which was confusing as the site is almost synonymous with sex (OnlyFans has tried to advertise its job-safe offerings, with little success). The site has experienced such a setback that it has reversed its trajectory; Now, Onlyfans can make do with Visa/Mastercard credit card bills as it complies with the payment processor’s recent and stricter policies on adult content. People who appear in on Onlyfans will have to determine their identity through legal documents and biometric analysis. and you will need to point to a form confirming that all models have given their consent to be registered.
These tighter restrictions have trickled down to artists, who don’t act in porn and don’t constitute any other genuine people in their paintings.
“Gumroad by adding ‘sex training facilities or particular educational content’ as prohibited content gets me involved not only in my income, but also in the discussion of sex and kinky practices in general,” Sleepingirl said.
Patreon also updated its adult content rules this week to more accurately describe what’s allowed on the site. Adult creators don’t see this moment as a coincidence.
“Personally, I don’t know what to do next with my content,” Sleepingirl said. “I’m looking to plan the next steps, but Gumroad was an ideal storefront for eBooks and how-to videos while I’m selling them. as well as all kinds of virtual content. Almost all others charge a hefty monthly payment and have terms of service that already prohibit adult content.
As for Gumroad, Lavingia doesn’t know what the company will do next.
“Should Gumroad be a lobbyist?” asked in an email to TechCrunch.
Pornhub Disables Access in Texas Due to Age Verification Law