Protecting Your Assets: Legal Considerations for OnlyFans Creators

As an OnlyFans creator, you’re running a business. And that means you need to know the laws regarding content creation in your country. Not only does following these laws keep you out of costly legal trouble, but understanding them also protects you and your content, preventing others from making money from your work. Below is a primer on how to legally protect your content on OnlyFans.

TL/DR: Legal Issues and Copyright on OnlyFans

• Understand copyright infringement to avoid stealing content and to protect your own content.
• Monitor for fake OnlyFans accounts using your name, which could damage your reputation, steal your fans, or potentially make you liable for scams.
• Be aware of and prepared to address cyberbullying, online harassment, and cyberstalking.
• Utilize OnlyFans’ built-in tools and services, like watermark creation, proactive internet scans, and a dedicated privacy department, for copyright protection.
• Ensure compliance with copyright, privacy, age verification, and other applicable laws of your country and those of your subscribers.
• Seek legal guidance for concerns about laws or regulations

What Legal Issues Should Creators Be Aware of on OnlyFans to Stay Protected?

When it comes to protecting your OnlyFans content and account, these are among the most common and important legal issues to be aware of:

• Copyright infringement. Also known as a violation of intellectual property rights, this is basically theft of original content and trademarks—using it without the content creator’s permission. While the OnlyFans terms and conditions give the platform permission to use your content, they do not allow other creators or fans to do so without your specific say-so.
• Fake OnlyFans profiles. Someone else could create an account under your name, in effect siphoning revenue from you. Just as damaging, if not more so, a fake profile with your name could be used to post content and information that ruins your reputation.
• Fraud due to a fake OnlyFans account. Fake OnlyFans profiles sometimes serve as fronts for credit card phishing schemes and other scams. Followers of the fake account could take legal action against you if your name is on the account.
• Cyberbullying, online harassment, and dangerous comments. This includes uploading explicit content without the consent of those shown (and any explicit content featuring anybody under the age of 18) and cyberstalking by fans and creators alike.

Why Is It Important for Creators to Understand Copyright Laws on OnlyFans?

If you post photographs from other creators on your account without their permission, that’s obviously infringing on their copyright. But let’s say you have a song by your favorite band playing in the background of one of your videos. If you did not get the band’s permission to use that song, that is also copyright infringement. Basically, featuring creative work by anyone other than yourself without the creator’s permission is a copyright breach.

If your OnlyFans account is found to be infringing on someone’s copyright, not only would your offending post be taken down, but your account could be suspended, and you could be sued by the infringed-upon creator.

When Can Legal Issues Arise for Creators on OnlyFans?

OnlyFans creators can get into legal trouble by creating fake profiles, using a profile for scams and other fraudulent purposes, stealing other creators’ content, and harassing fans or other creators, among other issues. That also means you can be the wronged party regarding these legal issues; in other words, another creator could steal your photos and videos or create a fake profile under your name and use it to steal fans’ credit card numbers, or a fan could cyberstalk you.

Another issue to avoid is failure to pay your taxes. Your OnlyFans earnings are subject to taxation. If you’re unclear on your tax obligations or any business-related deductions you might be able to claim, consult with a tax professional. This is especially important if you have international subscribers. What’s more, because your OnlyFans account handles subscribers’ personal information, such as email addresses and credit card numbers, you need to be compliant with privacy laws in your country as well as theirs. Be transparent about how you use and protect data, and ensure your practices adhere to legal regulations such as the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA).

And if you post explicit content, be certain to comply with the relevant age verification and explicit consent processes in your country as well as the countries of your fans.

Who Holds the Responsibility for Ensuring Compliance with Copyright Laws on OnlyFans: Creators or the Platform?

As an OnlyFans creator, you are responsible for making sure you do not use anyone else’s intellectual property without their consent. It is up to you to adhere to the OnlyFans guidelines as well as to the copyright and other laws of the country from which you run your business.

How Can Creators Protect Their Content and Intellectual Property on OnlyFans?

• Ownership and rights. Intellectual property laws safeguard your original OnlyFans content. Understanding these rules not only helps you protect your content and your account but also prevents you from accidentally infringing on the copyrights of other creators. If you collaborate with models or other creators, make certain all parties sign release forms and other relevant contracts that clearly define terms and protect everyone’s interests.
• Built-in tools for protection. Under your account’s “Privacy and safety” settings, you’ll find a watermark feature. When you turn it on, it creates a free watermark on your photos and videos that identifies the content as yours should it be used without your consent. Also under “Privacy and safety” is the ability to enable a degree of DRM (digital rights management) encryption to help prevent people from illegally downloading videos on many types of devices.
• Dedicated support for copyright issues. If you notice your stolen OnlyFans content being used on the platform, inform the privacy department. They can also help you issue a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice—the removal of the content—free of charge should you find your OnlyFans content being used on other sites without your permission.
• Proactive internet scans. OnlyFans regularly scans the internet to uncover websites and hosting services posting stolen OnlyFans content. Of course, it can’t police the entire web, and it’s unlikely to discover sites that have stolen only a few posts from OnlyFans creators. You should periodically scan the internet as well, searching for your name, any unique phrases you’ve used, and photos.
• Legal resources. OnlyFans also has a team dedicated to issuing DMCA takedown notices to outside websites on the behalf of creators. You can also contact the offending website yourself and, if necessary, take the violator to court for damages as well as to have the content removed. Don’t hesitate to see expert advice regarding legal matters, which vary by jurisdiction.
• Addressing unauthorized content on OnlyFans. If you find another OnlyFans account using your content without permission, contact https://onlyfans.com/contacts and select  “Reporting Stolen Content.”

How Can Creators Legally Collaborate with Others on OnlyFans While Protecting Their Rights?

When using models or collaborating with other creators, don’t settle for a verbal agreement. Be sure that you and the other parties sign a contract. OnlyFans has contract templates you can easily access and send to models and other creators. You can also find contract templates online or contact a lawyer.

What Measures Can Creators Take to Safeguard Themselves Against Potential Legal Disputes on OnlyFans?

• Among the steps you can take to protect yourself against legal disputes on OnlyFans:
• Do not collaborate with other creators or models unless all parties have signed a contract.
• Take advantage of OnlyFans’ free watermark and DRM encryption functions.
• If you’re using music in videos, be certain it is copyright-free and can legally be used on OnlyFans.
• Report any fake accounts or unauthorized content use immediately.
• Use a strong account password and activate two-factor authorization.
• Comply with all applicable age verification and explicit consent requirements. If in doubt about any legal issues, seek out professional legal advice. Better safe than sorry!

Wrap-up

Just like anyone else operating a business, OnlyFans creators need to protect themselves from myriad legal issues. Some of these issues are common to all businesses—the need to file taxes, for instance. Others are unique to OnlyFans creators and other content creators: protecting one’s intellectual property, being certain not to violate the copyrights of others, and fraudulent accounts. Fortunately, you’re not alone!

Knowing the laws, using digital tools, and turning to experts for support can help safeguard your work and your account.