Content subscription service OnlyFans stated that a group of people are downloading adult paid-for-content on their platform and is illegally distributing them for free online.
OnlyFans illegal distribution
The platform has become best known as an outlet for adult content, though it is expanding its focus as it hosts musicians, chefs, and influencers as well.
Fans will have to pay a subscription fee to gain access to photos and videos from creators who can monetize their work in a way that is not possible on mainstream social media sites.
In the last couple of days, the report suggested that cybercriminals were assembling a Google Drive folder filled with content that had been stolen from creators on OnlyFans.
According to Backchannel, the cyber security research that reported about the leaked files, the files had been shared on a low-tier hacker forum. The hacker who posted the files is known for collecting and exchanging adult contents.
Backchannel said that the files included videos and pictures that were stolen from hundreds of OnlyFans users. The vast number of files suggested that it was being assembled by numerous people.
Some initial reports had suggested that the platform itself may have been hacked, and that the content was made available for free online.
However, OnlyFans clarified that it has not been hacked and that any reports of a security breach are not true. The platform added that the content is being paid for, downloaded, and then illegally distributed.
A spokesperson for OnlyFans told The Independent that there is a group of people who are buying, compiling, and illegally hosting adult contents.
The spokesperson added that content protection is a top priority and the platform has a dedicated anti-piracy team that provides legal Digital Millennium Copyright Act or DMCA law that protects creator content from being published without their permission.
OnlyFans stated that it is pursuing legal action in an attempt to stop the people who are sharing the content along with internet service companies who provide them with hosting. The move is also to prevent search engines from linking out to it.
The spokesperson stated that OnlyFans has a duty to help battle illegal piracy and the platform is in the fight to protect user content.
Takedown success rates have been around at least 75% across offending image hosting sites, torrent providers, and cyber lockers.
OnlyFans backlash
Due to its popularity, regular people are not the only ones who are in on the hype, even celebrities created their own accounts much to the dismay of the other content creators.
Just last year, OnlyFans received backlash for allowing actress Bella Thorne on the site, as people accused of her harming the income of regular content creators, according to a report by NBC News.
The heat of having celebrities on the site also makes the platform prone to hacking and illegal distribution.
Numerous changes in its policy and service was done by OnlyFans to ensure the safety and security of bother the content creator and the subscriber. In 2020, OnlyFans implemented the withholding of payment until it reaches a certain threshold to avoid any instances of scamming.
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Written by Sieeka Khan
