Teens as young as 12 see OnlyFans as an appealing alternative to traditional work, study finds
www.psypost.org
A qualitative study involving Spanish adolescents found that many minors are familiar with OnlyFans and view it as a realistic source of income. The study raises concerns about how media exposure shapes adolescent perceptions of sexuality, gender, and economic opportunity.

A new study published in the journal Sexuality & Culture has found that many adolescents in Spain, including those as young as 12, are not only aware of OnlyFans but also see it as a viable and even empowering way to make money. In group discussions with over 160 teenagers, researchers discovered that platforms promoting erotic content are influencing how young people—especially girls—view economic opportunity, self-worth, and sexuality. Teens frequently framed content creation as a personal choice or expression of agency, while minimizing the risks.

  • tal@lemmy.todayEnglish
    4·
    8 hours ago

    Well, it’s hard to predict societal change, I think. I remember commenting that a lot of past futurism seemed to be a lot more accurate on technical change than it was on social change. Gender roles or clothing predictions aren’t all that great, though what machines are doing can be at least in the ballpark. So I feel kind of on thin ice here.

    But if you look at the article, the stigma doesn’t seem to be showing up with the study participants:

    Others expressed admiration for girls who made money through OnlyFans, seeing them as smart or independent. This normalization of sexualized self-presentation—and the lack of critical reflection on its long-term consequences—worried the researchers, who warned that it reflects a broader cultural shift toward viewing intimacy and the body as tools for profit.

    If you look at what a lot of musicians do today in music videos, I’d say that it’s not terribly far off softcore pornography. I’ve certainly seen softcore pornography in the past that was less-explicit than what a mainstream musician might be doing in music videos in 2025.

    And I think that that’s a shift that’s been happening for a long time. Selling sexuality was part of what Michael Jackson did in the 1990s or Elvis did in the 1960s.

    So my guess is that the trajectory is towards normalization. Can’t say with any certainty that the trajectory will continue, though.