Creators sharing explicit images online through adult fansites have come to expect those images to get stolen. OnlyFans leaks, and thus OnlyFans content protection, have become just as much a part of the job as creating the actual content and engaging with fans.
The issue has become so prevalent over the last few years that companies have sprung up to address this burgeoning issue within online sex work. Known as takedown services, they provide the ability to remove stolen images from unauthorized websites for a monthly or one-time fee.
Creators with larger followings may also choose to retain an attorney who specializes in intellectual property work to keep their images secure, though it’s a cost-prohibitive solution for many.
Can you sue someone for using your pictures on OnlyFans?
There are a number of legal remedies available to content creators whose images have been stolen, whether through OnlyFans leaks or another version of photo theft. Creators with the right funds can engage an intellectual property attorney in order to sue a website or individual who leaked their OnlyFans content, shared their stolen photos, or created a fake OnlyFans profile using their images (essentially catfishing).
Hiring an intellectual property attorney to take the offending party to court can become pricey. Using a takedown service as part of your content protection plan from the onset can be a less expensive option, especially for smaller accounts. It’s important to research these services thoroughly in order to know exactly what you’re paying for, whether their fees are one-time or monthly, how to go about filing a claim against websites hosting your stolen content, and how to maintain your records to prove ownership of your content.
What is a takedown service?
Takedown services specialize in the removal of stolen content and can help you protect your content and remove it if it has by filing a claim using the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). These services can be a monthly subscription service or a one-time fee. Research is key and you should decide based on the needs of your business whether you need a service long-term or only once.
Can people steal your OnlyFans content?
When a creator shares photos and videos to their OnlyFans account, they can choose to do so publicly—viewable to anyone logged in to an OnlyFans account—or only to their fans. They can also share their content through private messaging for free or via a pay-per-view option. When creators share their content publicly, they open themselves up to the risk of more photo theft as they have less control over who views their posts.
Though OnlyFans has taken steps to help safeguard creators by adding username watermarks to each piece of content uploaded, this hasn’t deterred thieves from stealing this media and uploading it to other sites across the internet.
Can you save pictures from OnlyFans? How does OnlyFans protect copyright?
OnlyFans implemented various measures to stop users from saving photos and videos on their platform. The company limited the number of screenshots allowed, disabled the right-click feature and downloads, and added watermarks to all content uploaded. None of this precludes a user from workarounds such as screen recording or using the print screen option from a computer to save photos or videos.
Some users may feel that once they’ve paid for the subscription or pay-per-view message, they own the image or video from the content creator and should have the right to save it, but that does not give them the legal right to disseminate it across the internet. Images and videos purchased through OnlyFans are still the intellectual property of the original content creator.
What stops people from sharing OnlyFans content?
Common sense and decency should be all it takes to keep people sharing OnlyFans content that doesn’t belong to them, but that’s likely not the case. In one instance, a user known as Willhelm even felt it was his so-called “moral duty” to create fake accounts and pretend to be a devoted fan of many OnlyFans models and obtain as many images, videos, and information about them as possible, in an attempt to doxx them. Situations like this are terrifying for OnlyFans creators, as these bad actors not only threaten their safety but also their livelihood by stealing their content and potentially using it to earn money on other sites illegally.
Using the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to take down your copyrighted images is one way to stop those who engage in photo theft. It criminalizes the production and dissemination of technology, devices, or services intended to circumvent measures that control access to copyrighted works. There are ways to file a DMCA takedown on your own for free, though it can become time-consuming for creators who find themselves filing multiple takedowns.
Knowing there are laws against sharing stolen images and other legal remedies protecting content creators may stop users from sharing OnlyFans content.
Final Thoughts on Content Protection
Content creators are their own best source for content protection. Though it can be tedious, regularly performing reverse image searches of your own photos on Google to ensure they’re not showing up on improper websites is one of the best ways to find out if you’ve been the victim of photo theft. When sharing content, limiting the number of explicit images that are shared publicly can also help deter bad actors. Engaging with your fans and getting to know them can be helpful—but always protect yourself and never reveal your personal information.
