The Risks of Selling Explicit Photos Online
Lots of young people are looking for ways to make money online, and things like OnlyFans can seem like a quick way to do it. But it’s important to know what you’re getting into.
WARNING: Due to the nature of the subject, some of the content in this blog may not be suitable for some of our younger readers.
You might see people on social media showing off how much money they make by sharing nudes online, and perhaps you’re thinking this is something you could try too. Meic isn’t here to lecture you or to judge. We’re here to provide you with information and advice so that you can make informed decisions for yourself. The following blog looks at the downside of selling explicit photos online, as well as looking at the laws around it, so that you have all the information at hand if it’s something you’re thinking of doing.
The Law
There are rules about what you can share online.
If you’re under 18, it’s illegal to share or make explicit photos or videos of yourself or anyone else under 18. This is considered child sexual exploitation and abuse, and it has serious legal consequences.
Sites such as OnlyFans won’t let you create an account if you are under 18 anyway, and you have to provide ID to prove how old you are.
Even if you’re over 18, there are laws to protect you and others, including ones on revenge porn, harassment, data protection, and copyright. It’s really important to know these rules so you don’t get into trouble.
Money Problems
You might not make the same amount of money every month. Income from online platforms can vary from day to day. You’ll need to be prepared for periods of low income, and you won’t have the same job security as a traditional job.
Making money this way takes a lot of time and work, and it’s not always steady. You may make good money one month, but nothing the next.
The reality is that most accounts don’t make much money, and it’s only a few that actually make big bucks on these platforms, usually those who have already gained a large following on other social media channels. Building a following takes consistent effort, and the algorithms of platforms can change, which can affect who sees your content and what you earn.
You’ll need to handle the business side of things, like promoting yourself and managing your finances.
Your Wellbeing
Sharing personal content could affect you emotionally.
Getting mean comments or being watched all the time can be hard. The internet can be a harsh place, and you might face negative comments, harassment, or even stalking. This could have a serious impact on your self-esteem and mental health.
You might also feel pressure to create content you’re not comfortable with or deal with unwanted attention and comments. It’s important to not only think about the money but also your mental and emotional wellbeing.
Having an account online might mean that people find out things about you that you don’t want them to know. This could lead to doxing (publicly sharing your personal, private information) or people trying to get in touch with you even if you don’t want it.
People Taking Advantage
Some people might try to trick you. There are people online who may try to exploit you or scam you out of money.
People online might try to trick you in more ways than just stealing money. People might copy your photos or videos and share them without asking. They could use your photos or videos to make fake ones, called deepfakes. This means they could put your face on someone else’s body in a sexual video, or change your pictures to show you doing things you never did. Once a picture is online, it’s really hard to stop people from changing it or sharing it in ways you might not be happy with.
Your Reputation
You might feel really proud of the content you create, and it’s great if you do think like that. If this is something you decide to do, then there’s no shame in that. But think about how you might feel in a few years time. There can be stigma attached to adult content creation, which could affect how you are perceived by your community and by future employers.
The internet never forgets. Once you put something online, you create a digital footprint that’s hard to get rid of. This could impact your reputation.
Many employers now check social media before hiring. Explicit content could limit your job opportunities in certain fields. Colleges and universities might also look at what you post online.
What you post could affect your relationships with family, friends, and current or future partners. It could cause embarrassment and conflict. It may also mean that some relationships break down completely.
Even if you stop creating content and delete everything you’ve shared, the content you have created will probably still be accessible. People may have screenshots, shared or saved it. This isall outside of your control.
Other Ways to Make Money
There are lots of other ways to earn cash, without sharing explicit photos, videos or audio recordings of yourself online.
If you’re good at writing, drawing, music, art, or social media, you can offer those skills to people by picking up a freelance job. Advertise yourself on your local community pages and build up a portfolio of the things you’ve created.
You could sell things you make or find online, on platforms like eBay, Etsy and Facebook marketplace.
Pick up a part-time or full-time job in your area to earn money and learn new skills. It doesn’t have to be something you want to do forever, but it can help you save some consistent cash.
Getting Help and Support
Get support for money issues, finding a job, or online safety in Meic’s Getting Help pages.
Read more about sexual health and wellbeing in our No Shame No Secrets Campaign, where we look at many different elements of keeping yourself sexually healthy and safe.
If you’re thinking about sharing nudes online, talk to someone you trust. That could be a friend, family member, or someone at Meic.
