China Lifts Long-Standing Ban on OnlyFans, Prompting Mixed Reactions

OnlyFans became directly accessible in China last week after years of intermittent blockage under the country’s strict internet censorship policies. GreatFire.org, a group dedicated to monitoring China’s internet restrictions and helping users bypass online censorship, first confirmed its unblocking on November 29.

This development places China’s move in a broader historical context. Access to foreign websites in the country has long been heavily filtered through what is often referred to as the “Great Firewall.” In previous years, Chinese internet users frequently relied on virtual private networks (VPNs) to view banned international content. Some have even gone to lengths, such as barricading doors with furniture during discreet gatherings where foreign media was shared or draping banners from residential windows to signal to trusted neighbors whose apartments had reliable VPN connections. Such clandestine methods were a testament to the existing barriers and risks some were willing to take for open access to online material.

The latest confirmation of OnlyFans’ accessibility came after several checks last Thursday. Newsweek verified that the site, known to have been sporadically reachable at times in the past, has been consistently available since late November. According to GreatFire.org’s records, there had been short-lived instances of access—20 random days since July 2020—but none as continuous as now.

The National Bureau of Statistics reported a 17.6 percent unemployment rate among individuals aged 16 to 24 in September, reflecting the challenges young people face in China’s post-pandemic economy. Against this backdrop, some social media users have expressed optimism that OnlyFans might broaden career options for the youth. “This could raise the employment rate and broaden career options for college students,” read one online comment. Another user joked, “It’s to revitalize the economy and let us make money from foreigners,” referring to the platform’s international subscriber base.

However, not all the commentary has been positive. Several netizens warned that China’s zero-tolerance policy toward sexually explicit material remains firmly in place despite the platform’s newfound accessibility. One noted, “Whoever dares to make money on it will be judged severely.” Prostitution and the production of pornographic content are illegal in China, carrying potential penalties that include jail terms and steep fines.

Local authorities did not issue a formal statement clarifying their stance on the site’s sudden availability in response to inquiries, leaving observers to speculate on the reasons behind the government’s decision. Official pronouncements on such matters have historically been limited or carefully worded. The National Bureau of Statistics, while not commenting specifically on OnlyFans, has regularly stressed the importance of stable employment for social harmony.

OnlyFans, a London-based website launched in 2016, gained substantial popularity in 2020, a time marked by global lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it is primarily known for adult content, the platform also hosts creators offering non-sexual material, including fitness tutorials, cooking demonstrations, and music performances. In 2022, it expanded by launching a streaming service featuring comedy and sports shows free from explicit content.

According to the International Union of Sex Workers, OnlyFans attracts over 300 million unique visits monthly, with male users accounting for 87 percent of its audience. Despite its prominence, the majority of its content creators earn modest incomes—less than $145 per month—while the top one percent claim a third of all earnings.

As the platform becomes more accessible within China, local internet users have wasted no time expressing their views. Some see the change as a sign of loosening constraints, while others remain cautious, recognizing that legal protections for adult content creators are virtually non-existent under current Chinese law.

For now, the unblocking of OnlyFans marks a notable shift in China’s tightly regulated online landscape. Whether this access will remain stable—and how authorities will respond if more users begin posting content locally—remains uncertain. Given the country’s history of strict censorship and the lengths ordinary citizens have gone to circumvent it, observers will be watching closely to see whether this newfound openness is a temporary anomaly or an enduring change in policy.