OnlyFans is a platform created in 2016 where users can pay forexclusive content(photos, videos, live broadcasts, etc.) from other users through subscriptions. Although the content is very varied, including users who share their knowledge on fitness, nutrition, day-to-day advice, etc., there is a large number of users who use it to publish and consumeadult content.Amateuror homemade erotic content has become one of the main reasons for the rapid rise of the platform, becoming a high percentage of its content.
Some people have seen in this new social network an easy and fast way to earn extra money, showing themselves in front of the camera without censorship and with erotic content.
The platform is advertised as an exclusive service for people over 18 years of age . As a security measure, OnlyFans has an account verification service so that any user who wishes to create an account must provide a photograph of himself holding her identity document to prove her identity.
Why has it become so popular?
Due to the confinement and the health crisis caused by COVID-19, thousands of users began to resort to this type of practice in exchange for extra money. However, it has been the influence of celebrities and well-known characters on the web that has ended up boosting the popularity of OnlyFans. Famous numbers have confirmed that they have an account on the social network and that, in addition, they have earned a lot of money thanks to the consumption of its content.
So what are the dangers of this platform?
At the beginning of the year there was a leak of a large number of images and videos about numerous users of social networks ofinfluencersfrom all over the network, including TikTok, Instagram or OnlyFans itself. Terabytes of adult content was stolen and distributed online by various cybercriminals through the Reddit platform, defying the protection of the website itself, as well as attacking the privacy of hundreds of users.
Another risk is the presence of fraudulent applications that seek to emulate the same service as this platform. Onlyfans is only available through web access, at the moment there is no official application for Android or iOS. Those applications that we can find in the market with similar names are not original and can pose a danger to our privacy. To avoid this, remember to follow the steps that the OSI recommends before downloading any app and if you still have questions, call us at the free phone number 017, INCIBE’s cybersecurity helpline.
In addition, from the OSI we want to remind you of the main threats we face when we are willing to share our personal information on the Internet:
In the case of OnlyFans, the platform has an identity verification mechanism, but if cybercriminals were able to evade this protection or managed to get hold of a user’s credentials, the victims could end up suffering identity theft, creation of false profiles or data theft. This type of content could also come from and be obtained by performing certain practices such assexting.
Everythingwe share on the Internet stays on the network. At the time we upload content to any Internet site, even if it is being done from a private profile on a social network, itcan be filtered by the users with whom we are sharing it, stored and published or distributed without our knowledge. and out of our control.
Depending on the type of content, it may havea greater or lesser impact on our privacy and ourdigital identity. If, for example, we upload some content that we later regret and want to delete, we cannot be sure that someone is not already in possession of it and therefore it will be almost impossible to completely erase their trace.
Harassment and extortion in the network. Sharing this type of content can lead to harassment and extortion. In addition, if the platform has a chat service, a direct communication channel is opened between its followers and the owner of the account, as well as permissions to comment on its publications.
As a consequence, it may be the case that some subscribers use it to harass the person who shares their content and even, making use of certain personal information that has been exposed, take the harassment outside the virtual world or, on the contrary, use blackmail and extortion ( sextorsion ) to obtain more material of a sexual nature from the victim.
Fraud and information theft. Cybercriminals see this type of platform as a golden opportunity to deceive users. Before the profile of our favorite actor or actress, where exclusive and explicit content is uploaded, many users would access the paid subscription to, in the long run, discover (or not) that itwas a fraud and that they have invested their money in an impersonated account and therefore false.
In the case of OnlyFans, the platform has an identity verification mechanism, but if cybercriminals were able to evade this protection or managed to get hold of a user’s credentials, the victims could end up suffering identity theft, creation of false profiles or data theft. This type of content could also come from and be obtained by performing certain practices such assexting.
What measures can we apply to protect ourselves?
We must be aware thateverything we share on the Internet can remain, even if we delete it from our account or profile. Also, depending on the type of content, it may end up having negative repercussions for us. Therefore, it is essential to think carefully before posting any personal material .
Data leaks and theft of accounts or information can also be minimized if we properly configure thesecurity and privacy optionsin our social network profile or any other service.
Of course, if we are of legal age and have understood the risks of exposing our intimate life on the Internet and, even so, we want to share images or videos and other private aspects of our lives with the world, we are within our rights.
Did you know this new social network? Do you think you would be able to sell your intimacy? Share your opinion and experiences with the rest of the users and keep up to date with OSI publications on cybersecurity in order to enjoy the advantages of technology.
