In today’s digital age, content creation spans countless niches: Dance, food, music, tech, sports, film, education and religion with apps like Triller, Tiktok, YouTube shorts in addition to OG apps like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat have created more room for different types of content creators to thrive. These apps do not only give creators a platform but help them earn through their monetization structure. So, it is not surprising that we see a rise in content creators. However, one category of creators often face disproportionate backlash despite its longstanding existence: adult content creators.
For clarity, adult content creators have always been in existence for years. From exotic dancers, to nudists to modern film and digital creators, adult entertainment has always been part of society even if publicly debated. While many in the public’s eye may lie to themselves, people have always patronized their services.
Unshackling From The Exploitation And Abuse Of The Mainstream Adult Industry
Adult content creation online was born from the need of performers trying to unshackle themselves from the predatory and exploitative nature of the adult entertainment industries. The adult industry has long been accused of systemic exploitation, trapping performers, especially women, in cycles of abuse, coercion, and financial manipulation. Former adult actors have confessed to being pressured into unsafe scenes, denied fair pay, and even blacklisted for speaking out. A 2021 study by the National Center for Sexual Exploitation found that 80% of women reported being physically assaulted on set, while 63% admitted to using drugs or alcohol to cope with the trauma of filming. Men have also faced exploitation, with many pushed into extreme performances that leave them with lasting injuries or mental health struggles. Now, adult creators are bypassing predatory studios altogether, turning to online platforms to control their content, boundaries, and earnings. By self-producing, they’re dismantling the industry’s toxic power structures. With this ongoing revolution, it is only fair that African adult content creators are not judged by their content so as to not be pushed into the claws of the mainstream adult industry.
While Snapchat continues to enjoy its position as a go-to app for content creators to ply their work, the introduction of Onlyfans revolutionised adult content creation. This empowered more creators who just wanted to create adult content without necessarily venturing into porn itself. Years ago, apps like 2go were a medium to patronize adult content creators but it soon switched to Snapchat. Through Private snaps, creators were paid a fee by users to be added to their premium where they had access to their contents which ranges from pictures to videos. While some of these videos were solo videos, the popularity of the snapchat premium and its rewarding patronage fostered collaboration between multiple creators. Other apps like Vsco and Tumblr used to be receptive to adult content until their very recent policy changes.
Today we see apps like Twitter be more accepting and welcoming to adult contents with structures of payment but not like that of Onlyfans. However, the structure of Onlyfans handicapped creators especially from Africa who could not directly get paid in the local accounts. Seeing the gap in that, AllAccess, an adult content creation platform in Nigeria was created. The launch of the platforms was welcomed by the Nigeria adult content creation industry with a lot of signups by both creators and patrons.
The Paradox of Public Criticism Vs. Private Consumption
In a conservative society like ours, one would assume our public cry for protecting our morals would mean adult content creators would not be patronized but the numbers show otherwise. So, who then is patronizing these creators behind the scenes if everyone seems to be against it so much?
One of the pushbacks has always positioned the creators of not being aware of the consequences of their actions which this writer believes is somewhat disrespectful to these creators. These are adults who are capable of thinking and making decisions for themselves. These assumptions dismiss their agency as consenting adults operating in legal boundaries and consumed by a ready market willing to pay. While moral debates persist, the economic impact is powerful. Many creators use their earnings to fund education, housing, family support among others, highlighting the financial empowerment such platforms provide.
As such platforms that include monetization for adult content creators should be applauded for providing secured spaces with the interest of its creators at hand. In a world where content creators are monetizing their work and earning from their creativity, it is imperative that adult creators do not be left out. Adult creators do not have to suffer from someone’s moral high ground especially when a number of these people privately patronize these services. Why hate in public and patronize in private?
We speak to some adult creators and enthusiasts to understand how they navigate a conservative society as creators and patronize adult creators.
Cassandra
It’s a double-edged sword. I’m all for people doing what they want as long as they’re comfortable, whether or not they make a buck. But there still exists the issue of exploitation in the industry. trafficked girls and minors are on a lot of these websites and it’s so difficult to take that kind of content down. As long as it’s voluntary and legal, I don’t think anything is wrong with it. Yes and no. I don’t believe it’s something they, as adult content creators, should encourage other people to get into, especially younger people looking for a quick buck, as the industry is quite exploitative, but I also believe they are deserving of respect for what they do and should not be treated less because of it. I believe we’re very, very, very far from getting “embrace.” There’s barely respect as it is. Many people are dismissive of even their opinions on things. You say x, and the response is, “Well, you do porn; what do you know?” I think people should just look at them as other human beings. Sex as a topic is something that is never discussed even though we all do it, but I don’t think ostracizing them would do any good. We’d need to start respecting them as people first, because they are people first, not just sex workers.
Kay Shag
I feel the legal age should be moved to about 21 or 23. That is just a personal opinion of mine because I feel the transition from 17 to 18 is sometimes too quick. That aside, I believe as sexual beings, we have been doing this for a long time. The only difference now is that people are filming it and putting it out there. However, because of our morals and religious nature in our part of our world, we tend to treat adult creators very differently. I do understand the concerns people bring up about how easily exposed kids are to these things, but we cannot lay the blame at the feet of the creators, and they should not suffer for people’s inability to keep their children away from things they are not supposed to be watching. I do not think we can ever fully embrace adult content creators in our part of the world because of our conservative nature. While we will see people venture into adult content creation and an increase in its patronage, we will also have a lot of people who will continue to be unreceptive to adult content creators. It is something creators from this part of the world will have to deal with.
F-Baby
Since we have free will, I think everyone can do whatever they want considering it doesn’t harm anyone. So I think I don’t have any negative energy towards it. I don’t think they should be treated differently, but here lies the case. People are already judgemental so there could be a platform like OF just for that instead of bringing to spaces like Twitter or others where there are different opinions and topics being shared. Also, there could be kids or teens below the age that is appropriate on such platforms. We can start by not judging people into adult content. Besides, are we not the ones “purchasing” them? We should allow people to choose for themselves instead of constantly being at their necks.
At the end of the day, whether one supports or opposes the industry, its growth reflects broader shifts in digital entrepreneurship, where creators, like those in any field, seek to monetize their work in an evolving online economy. The challenge lies in fostering constructive dialogue that acknowledges both societal values and the realities of digital commerce. Another perspective worth highlighting is an evident addiction associated with adult content, and this has resulted in seeing violence against women because the abusers feel a sense of ownership of these creators simply because they consume their content. As such, it is worth mentioning that adult content creation faces a strong challenge in violence and abuse not just online but also offline. Violence on women for saying “no” is an act of monstrous violence rooted solely in the perpetrator’s toxic entitlement, profound misogyny, and catastrophic failure to respect human autonomy. While consumption of adult content invites a complex discussion about how media can interact with and reinforce harmful attitudes, we must unequivocally reject the simplistic and unjust notion that it caused their actions; the vast majority of consumers do not commit violence, and the responsibility for this crime rests entirely with their choices. Condemning these tragedies does not require scapegoating adult content creators, many of whom are independent workers striving for ethical practices and safer conditions beyond an exploitative industry. To effectively address such horrors, we must look beyond any single factor and confront the pervasive ecosystem of misogyny that teaches men their desire is an imperative, fails to instill meaningful lessons in consent and empathy, and creates a culture where a woman’s rejection is met not with respect, but with a lethal sense of grievance. Our focus must remain on holding perpetrators accountable, and dismantling the broader social pathologies that fuel gendered violence.
Adult content creation is likely here to stay and with technological advancement patronage and monetization, it will only get bigger. If we all want to live in a society where people are respected and fostering inclusivity, adult creators should not be subjected to judgment, abuse and ostracism. Remember, with the algorithms of today’s digital platforms, if a user is seeing adult content frequently on their timelines, then it means it is part of their most consumed product.
Written By Nana Kojo Mula.
Follow @theimullar on Instagram and X(Twitter) for more.
