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Creators and consumers fall victim to capitalism commodifying human sexuality and emotional intimacy.

The growing difficulty of finding real romantic partners drives consumers toward parasocial relationships.

Management and chat agencies pave the way for AI to replace creators entirely, eliminating profit sharing.

In 2026, OnlyFans, a website that allows individuals to sell personalized sexual content and direct messaging interactions to their followers, has grown into a platform with millions of creators and hundreds of millions of user accounts, with global fan spending exceeding several billion dollars annually. What does its success reveal about sexuality and human behavior, and how both are shaped by capitalism?

I argue that on OnlyFans, both creators and consumers become victims of a system that commodifies human sexuality and emotional intimacy. What began as a marketplace for adult content has evolved into a mechanism that erodes authentic connection and points toward an automated future where human needs fuel their own exploitation.

Creators on OnlyFans often start with the goal of financial gain, producing explicit photos, videos, and live sessions while engaging fans through private chats. While the platform does not officially penalize inactivity, its algorithmic visibility and subscription-based model effectively demand constant output to prevent subscriber churn and maximize earnings.

Most creators earn modest amounts, with averages hovering around $130 to $180 per month, while a small percentage at the top captures the majority of revenue. To compete, up to half of top-earning creators turn to management and chat agencies, services that handle marketing, content scheduling, and fan messaging.

Emotional and Psychological Costs to Creators and Followers

Creators outsource the labor of building and maintaining emotional bonds with subscribers at the expense of a loss of personal........

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