it is never as easy before to be a homemade pornstar

12% of the internet is made up of porn. And onlyfans changed all of that.

Even if you said yes, a few years ago, pursuing a career in the adult entertainment industry was nearly unattainable: not to mention the societal taboo attached to it, the industry was notorious for its low wages, abuse, and the concealment of prostitution. It was a profession reserved only for the marginalized and frowned upon by society.

Today, everyone can be a porn star. And that’s many thanks to the Internet and Onlyfans.

how the Internet almost killed off porn

12% of the internet is made up of porn.

That is approximately 4 million adult websites. Let’s say someone “takes a look” at one different adult website a day. It would take them around 11,000 years just to finish what is currently out there. People yearned for porn on the Internet. And it’s safe to say that it’s the Internet that almost killed off porn.

There was a time when porn existed only in the form of DVDs and Playboy magazines, and people ate them up. Sales were good, and performers can earn five figures a scene and shoot a couple of scenes every week, according to an industry publicist.

The Internet has changed all of that. Probably for the worse: Youtube-like platforms that collected illicit pornographic material, distributed it without charge, and profited from advertisements displayed on their sites; forum-like sites allowed their members to share peer-to-peer the porn they had collected, usually free of charge too. Suddenly, and without warning, porn sales charts took a deep dive.

In other cases, like those in the game or movie industry, producers can lawyer up and sue these sites out of business. But porn studios do not have such resources: being marginalized, they lack the capital and the connection. With sales soaring, they have to cut costs, which means fewer scenes are shot, and less money is paid for each scene.

Eventually, porn studios had to turn to those pirated porn sites to sell their products. They probably don’t like it, the porn studios, who would want to work with the ones that put you out of business? But at the end of the day, the important question is: who is the best at distributing porn these days? Only at a dirt cheap price, of course.

That’s when we see the rise of giants like Pornhub, whose content is supplied with both in-house and out-house content, like Brazzers. Think of it as Netflix, but for porn. Pornhub succeeded by leveraging extensive data analysis, knowing their users’ porn preferences and habits, and making and distributing videos accordingly. Performers are reduced to only their appearances, with descriptions like “petite” and “busty” being the buzzwords.

The higher-ups of these sites and some world-famous pornstars got rich, while lesser-known performers struggle to make a living because this job pays pennies. Eventually, they have to resort to:

• escorting, prostituting themselves in sites like The Erotic Review, etc.

• webcamming, meaning that they will offering live performances for "donations”, in sites like Chaturbate, etc.

Webcamming has illuminated one fundamental insight: people crave customized content.

From the beginning of time, people have been accustomed to consuming the pre-packaged version of pornography: things that are pre-made, packed with exaggerated actions and cliché dialogue, and devoid of any interaction with the audience. While satisfying initially, excessively consuming such content leads to a sense of dissatisfaction. In contrast, customized porn is like a homecooked meal: freshly prepared and personalized to suit your palate.

And this principle lies at the heart of what makes OnlyFans distinctive. The platform's success stems from its ability to empower creators to offer personalized experiences tailored to the preferences of their audience.

the rise of Onlyfans

Creators see OnlyFans as an opportunity for direct monetization, granting them control over content, pricing, and audience engagement.

With flexible scheduling and content creation options, creators can tailor their offerings to suit their preferences and audience demands while maintaining a level of privacy and anonymity. The platform ultimately unlocked significant income potential through exclusive content and direct interactions with fans.

OnlyFans, despite being a paid platform, has managed to attract a significant user base even in an age where free pornographic content is abundantly available online. This phenomenon can be attributed to the unique dynamics between performers and users on the platform.

Unlike traditional pornographic content, which often features anonymous actors, OnlyFans allows performers to establish a more personal connection with their audience. Many creators on the platform share personal details about their lives, interact directly with fans through messaging and live streams, and even take custom requests. This sense of intimacy and familiarity can make the content more appealing to users, who feel a deeper connection with the performers they follow.

OnlyFans offers users access to exclusive content that they can't find for free elsewhere. Creators often provide behind-the-scenes footage, personalized messages, and other exclusive materials to their subscribers.

It also allows for a level of customization and interactivity that is often lacking in free pornographic content. Users can interact with performers through comments, messages, and live streams, creating a more immersive experience. Creators can also tailor their content to suit the preferences of their audience, making it feel more personalized and engaging.

In recent years, there have been numerous instances of creators from platforms like Twitch, Instagram, or Youtube expanding their presence on OnlyFans. One notable example is the emergence of gaming streamers and influencers who have leveraged their existing fan base to attract subscribers on OnlyFans.

Some fairly popular creators have transitioned to creating more adult-oriented content on OnlyFans, capitalizing on the platform's flexibility and monetization opportunities.

One real-life example of a popular YouTuber who transitioned into generating revenue through adult content on OnlyFans is Trisha Paytas. Paytas initially gained fame on YouTube for their eclectic and often controversial videos covering topics ranging from lifestyle vlogs to music parodies. Over time, Paytas began to explore more risqué content on their channel, including discussions about sexuality and adult-themed videos.

Eventually, Paytas joined OnlyFans, where they offer exclusive adult content to subscribers for a fee. This transition sparked significant attention and debate within the online community, with many fans expressing surprise and intrigue at Paytas' shift in content. Despite the controversy, Paytas' move to OnlyFans has proven to be financially successful, highlighting the potential for creators to leverage alternative platforms for monetization.

Many users are willing to pay for content on OnlyFans as a way of supporting their favorite creators directly. By paying for content, users feel like they are contributing to the success and livelihood of the performers they admire. This sense of support and community can be a powerful motivator for users to pay for content rather than consume it for free elsewhere.

And not just popular content creators. The OnlyFans model has worked so well that it has raised a new wave of explicit content creators - normal people like you and me.

The direct-to-consumer model provided by platforms like OnlyFans offers creators greater control over their content and earnings, enabling them to connect directly with their audience and cultivate dedicated fan bases. This trend represents a significant evolution in the adult content landscape, blurring the lines between amateur and professional creators and challenging conventional notions of who can participate in the industry.

From a policy perspective, OnlyFans has risen to prominence as a leading platform for distributing adult content, while its competitors face increasing limitations due to several key factors. Firstly, OnlyFans has adopted a more permissive content policy compared to some of its competitors, allowing a wider range of adult content to be shared on its platform.

This approach has attracted creators and users who seek a more liberal environment for sharing and consuming adult content. Additionally, OnlyFans has implemented robust age verification mechanisms and content moderation practices, which may alleviate concerns related to underage access and inappropriate content.

Moreover, OnlyFans' business model, which enables creators to directly monetize their content through subscriptions and tips, provides a financial incentive for creators to choose the platform over competitors with stricter content policies and a more indirect money making strategy.

Overall, OnlyFans' relatively permissive content policies, effective content moderation practices, and creator-friendly monetization model have contributed to its rise as a dominant platform for distributing adult content within the social media landscape.

However, the platform still poses many problems regarding social taboos about sex work, minors, and underground trade.

Vietnam

In the context of Vietnam, where producing and distributing pornography is highly illegal, the dynamics surrounding platforms like OnlyFans differ significantly from those in Western countries or Japan. Vietnam's porn industry, by nature of its legal restrictions, operates in a decentralized manner, with content primarily originating from two sources: revenge porn or directly from performers.

Given the legal constraints, people in Vietnam may turn to platforms like OnlyFans for various purposes. Some individuals may use OnlyFans as their primary platform for sharing adult content, for either financial gain or personal preference. Others, such as sex workers, may leverage OnlyFans as a supplementary income stream and promotional tool.

This decentralized nature of Vietnam's porn industry, driven by legal limitations, shapes the way platforms like OnlyFans are utilized and perceived within the country.

Now, OnlyFans executives are eager to transition the platform away from its focus on adult content and instead establish it as a space catering to a wide array of influencers and audiences. But I doubt that will be the case in the near future.