The real OnlyFans scandal is the unaccountable power of platforms and banks (theguardian.com)

Article summary

The article discusses the controversy surrounding OnlyFans' decision to ban sexually explicit content, which was later reversed. The incident highlights the issue of financial institutions and platforms exerting control over sex workers' ability to make a living. The article argues that this is a matter of free expression and that the financial and tech industries' prudishness is reflected in government policy. The author suggests that the real scandal is the unaccountable power of platforms and banks to dictate what forms of expression are acceptable.

Main themes

• sex work and financial institutions
• censorship and free expression
• government regulation and policy
• crypto currency and trust
• discrimination and morality
• risk and liability in financial transactions

What commenters say

• Some commenters argue that banks and financial institutions are motivated by morality rather than profit when it comes to sex work, while others claim that it is actually a matter of risk and regulation.
• The use of crypto currency is proposed as a potential solution to the problem of censorship, but others argue that it does not solve the issue of trust.
• Some argue that the issue is not about morality, but about the financial risks associated with sex work, such as high chargeback rates.
• Others suggest that the problem is not with the banks or financial institutions, but with the government regulations that make it difficult for them to do business with sex workers.
• It is argued that the current financial system is designed to pull money from accounts, which requires a way to correct errors and fraud, whereas crypto currency transactions are push-based and do not require chargebacks.
• Some commenters believe that crypto currency can provide anonymity and overcome the censorship problem, but others argue that it is not a viable solution due to the lack of trust and the complexity of using it.
• The role of government policy and regulation in shaping the financial and tech industries' attitudes towards sex work is seen as a major factor in the issue.
• Some argue that the distinction between sex work and other forms of labor is not clear-cut, and that the financial and tech industries' treatment of sex workers is a form of discrimination.