We live in an age where platforms like OnlyFans sex workers the opportunity to safely engage in their work, while maintaining the physical boundary that “service behind a screen” offers. One would think that location independence from clients would give adult content creators a greater sense of control and safety, and yet. Still, the boundaries between privacy, exploitation, and justice continue to blur.
Recently OnlyFans experienced multiple attempts by hackers to exploit their hardworking creators by stealing and leaking their content. Luckily for the targeted content creators, the platform was prepared for such an attack, and all the hackers got for their trouble was a gnarly computer virus that they’ll have a lot of fun explaining to their resident IT guy.
Is there a sense of poetic justice in hackers targeting sex workers getting hit with a virus even when there was no physical contact involved? Absolutely. The phrase "play stupid games, win stupid prizes" comes to mind. But how did the powers behind OnlyFans know to prepare for such an attack?
Because sex work is the world’s oldest profession. Humanity has always known sex work. Unfortunately, there have always been thieves and worse criminals who target sex workers. And so providing security for escorts is also an ancient profession. Even a popular historical novel featuring the poet Rumi mentions a prostitute traveling with a guard.
Sex workers have always had to work just a little harder than those in most other professions in order to have some sense of safety and security. Their risk of death by homicide is almost always higher than that of the average person, and as such, they are accustomed to taking more precautions and living in a heightened state of awareness. Given that OnlyFans was created as a way to allow content creators to safely charge their audience for the privilege of seeing their work, it makes sense that adult content creators saw the opportunity— and the security— that the platform provides.
Does it really come as such a shock that a widely popular adults-only content platform knew to be prepared for an attack? It shouldn’t. When the bulk of your paid users are well-versed in the violent, often exploitative, history of their industry, it stands to reason that they would know to be prepared against bad actors. And because their work often falls outside the purview of the legal system, they have creative problem-solving skills.
To quote Forrest Gump, “Stupid is as stupid does.” Sex workers have collectively been at this for a long time, and they know how to protect themselves.
Don’t be stupid.
