This is how onlyfans works

Onlyfans is the big internet phenomenon right now. The erotic platform offers an exciting mix to gain maximum popularity: sex, money and, above all, exclusivity. I explored the Onlyfans universe myself to understand the trend.

Step 1: Create a profile

To get started, I needed to create a profile. This is where I started asking myself the first questions: Should I give my real name? What if a friend or family member comes across my profile? Then we better get a nickname… But which one? Something sneaky or something neutral? What should I use as a profile picture? Is it my face, my shoulders or a landscape painting? What about my biography? my breast size? My job? My hobbies? After a day of reflection, I decided to keep it simple: I’m going to call myself “valpasta” – because I love pasta – and picture my profile with a lightly retouched selfie. As for my bio, I will state that I am Swiss, I love pasta – if some people do not understand it yet – I love anime just to look cool and most importantly I am a journalist. The idea is that when I reach out to people to ask them to talk to me, my intent is clear.

Step 2: Find creators

When I got to the homepage, I expected to be suggested to follow a group profile with inappropriate content. But no. The first account the algorithm suggested was that of a fitness influencer. But I really didn’t want to know how to squat at home. My first reflex was to type “Swiss Girl” or “Lausanne” and “Geneva” in the search bar. Result: nothing. I had clearly misjudged how the platform works. After some research I found «onlyfinder.com», mostly through two or three youtube tutorials. For that matter, you can search for profiles by name, region, or even by special features such as BDSM, bondage, face sitting, hair, cosplay or feet, and other fetishes.

Step 3: Appeal to the women behind the profiles

Thus, I came across profiles that interested me. For now, the most obscene content came from female profiles. I have found very few men who show themselves off. I had to subscribe to their page to be able to communicate with people I found. So I started following twelve women and one Bastian Baker (30). All this for a modest sum of $121 and 32 cents, because yes, at Onlyfans we are talking in dollars, not Swiss francs. That would be about 109 francs. My selection included women who offer lighter content such as nudes or explicit images, as well as women who sell porn or specialize in certain fetishes like bondage.

Step 4: Reconsider the image of the woman selling her body

I was surprised that it wasn’t that hard to approach women. Of the 12 people I wrote to, four did not respond, two refused, and six agreed to speak to me. I have to admit that I did not expect to receive such a positive response. In my dream, I would meet people who were in vulnerable or even dangerous situations, depending on the income generated from the platform. Like women who signed up for Onlyfans after losing their jobs due to the pandemic, according to a New York Times article.

And, especially in Geneva, as the health crisis has had a huge impact on students’ finances, I was sure to meet struggling students. Still, I have no doubt that such profiles exist. But the people I meet are happy, even proud, of what they do. They show themselves uncomplicated and are there because they decided to do so and, above all, they like it. This has nothing to do with the image of the poor girl who has no choice but to sell her body and should be pitied.

*Name changed