At least 30 lawsuits have been filed against internet content subscription service OnlyFans, alleging that it hosted child sexual abuse material on its website, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
Between December 2019 and June 2024, 30 complaints found that more than 200 videos and photos on OnlyFans contained child sexual abuse content, including reports of sexual abuse of children as young as infants. according to More than half of the cases uncovered have resulted in arrests and at least three convictions in total, according to U.S. police and court records reviewed by Reuters. Most involved adults using minors to produce child sexual abuse material.
A Reuters review of U.S. and international legal data found there is no evidence so far that OnlyFans has been sued or faced criminal charges for hosting child sexual abuse material. (Related: Gay porn star Austin Wolf indicted on charges of trafficking hundreds of child porn videos)
One of the cases identified is that of 22-year-old Ethan Diaz, who is accused of selling more than 100 photos and videos online of girls he seduced, as young as 16. He has pleaded not guilty and is currently awaiting trial on multiple charges, including promoting the sexual performance of a child and human trafficking, according to Reuters.
OnlyFans CEO Kayleigh Blairs speaks during a panel discussion on the main stage at the 2024 Collision Technology Conference at the Enercare Centre in Toronto, Canada on June 18, 2024. (Photo by Cole Burston/AFP via Getty Images)
“Every piece of content on our platform: every text, every message, every audio clip, every livestream, everything is moderated. We watch everything,” OnlyFans CEO Kayleigh Blair said at TEDx. talk 2023.
Despite the CEO's pledge, an earlier investigation found 128 cases in the US where adult content had been posted on the site without the consent of those involved. report It was discovered by Reuters in March.
A bipartisan group of 102 lawmakers called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate OnlyFans for child sexual abuse on its platform in 2021, according to Reuters. Three months later, the DOJ declined to say whether it was investigating the service. (Related: Supreme Court agrees to hear challenge to Texas porn age verification law)
When reached for comment, OnlyFans referred questions to the Daily Caller News Foundation for age verification. policy The company stressed that it has cooperated with law enforcement in the past.
“OnlyFans works closely with law enforcement, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), other charities, NGOs, and governments around the world to support their work and ensure we remain a leader in our industry,” an OnlyFans spokesperson told DCNF. “We are committed to providing our customers with the best possible service and support.” [child sexual abuse material] We reported this to the NCMEC. Of the hundreds of millions of posts made to OnlyFans in 2023, we reported 347 to the NCMEC. This is far fewer than the millions of cases reported on other social media platforms where users remain anonymous and content is not moderated. This is a testament to the rigorous safety controls OnlyFans has in place.”
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