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PayPal doesn't like OnlyFans

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PayPal doesn't like OnlyFans

somewhere between the internet, censorship, and finance

Neeraj K. Agrawal
May 14, 2020
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Share this post

PayPal doesn't like OnlyFans

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I’m probably going to end up talking about OnlyFans a lot. It’s pretty interesting. 

This from Elle explains the recent surge in the already rising platform: “OnlyFans, Influencers, And The Politics Of Selling Nudes During A Pandemic”:

OnlyFans is just another logical extension of how creators are monetizing and personalizing their labor. In recent years, free podcasters turned to Patreon over using ads; freelance journalists began creating paid Substack newsletters over taking sparse assignments; YouTube gamers moved their business to Twitch. But, just like any platform, the creators are at the whims of the VCs who invested in them, and if the fees don’t add up, will have to find another place to be hosted. Viners had to become TikTokkers, and if OnlyFans tanks, adult entertainers face lost fan bases and disappearing archives. 

It also covers the recent drama with mainstream influencer Caroline Calloway getting on the platform, which seems to be marking a turning point for the social acceptance of selling sexual photos of oneself online. 

So we’ve got millions of people selling nudes. And for the most part people seem fine with it, if not supportive. One group that is not fine with nudes are the centralized payment processors. 

Here’s PayPal: 

We permit U.S.-only transactions for certain sexually oriented physical goods that are physically delivered to the customer. Videos, DVDs, and magazines are examples of physical goods. (We don’t allow transactions for such goods outside the U.S.)

We don’t permit PayPal account holders to buy or sell:

  • Sexually oriented digital goods or content delivered through a digital medium. Downloadable pictures or videos and website subscriptions are examples of digital goods.

  • Sexually oriented goods or services that involve, or appear to involve, minors.

  • Services whose purpose is to facilitate meetings for sexually oriented activities.

So no nudes online. The second and third items are actually illegal. But liability is the name of the game when it comes to financial regulation. It’s a lot safer to cut off whole communities with an axe than to use a scalpel to target illegal activity. 

At the moment the only way for OnlyFan’s creators in the US to withdraw funds is ACH to a bank account. But bank accounts are not a steady thing for those in the adult world. 

Read more: The Banks’ War on Porn


Covid-19 Behind Bars is an independent journalism project that tracks the spread of the virus in prisons. Unfortunately, links to that page were recently flagged by Twitter as virus misinformation. 

Twitter avatar for @mxthemme
Mx. Adryan Corcione / visit COVID19BehindBars.com @mxthemme
I tried to tweet about the website and I got a message that the link has been flagged by Twitter #covid19behindbars
Image
9:16 PM ∙ May 11, 2020
45Likes18Retweets

It seems to have been corrected, but only after some big accounts signal boosted the problems. 


This website publishes 3D printed gun files. They are legal. It also uses PayPal to sell patches and stickers. Those are also legal. 

PayPal suspended their account. 

Twitter avatar for @CtrlPew
CTRLPew @CtrlPew
Apparently selling patches, shirts and stickers is against @PayPal TOS. I know how you feel about our rights and that you love to mix politics and pandering with policy. Thanks for being trash. #paypalsucks #whydoyouhatefreedom? #horriblecustomerservice #accountlimited #paypal
Image
7:21 AM ∙ May 14, 2020
509Likes129Retweets

This store was lucky to have withdrawn its cash before this happened. Typically money can be locked up for months or years after one of these suspensions. 


This guy found a wad of money in his house and asked his central bank what to do. 

Twitter avatar for @WakariaE
Eric Wakaria @WakariaE
.@CBKKenya please advice on what to with these old notes I found as I was decluttering my room
Image
7:29 AM ∙ May 13, 2020
1,104Likes146Retweets

The bank had an answer that I’ll admit is pretty funny. 

Twitter avatar for @CBKKenya
Central Bank of Kenya @CBKKenya
Sorry, we have no advice to give.
Twitter avatar for @WakariaE
Eric Wakaria @WakariaE
.@CBKKenya please advice on what to with these old notes I found as I was decluttering my room https://t.co/RCjZWe6dkI
10:20 AM ∙ May 13, 2020
9,420Likes3,318Retweets

That wad of bills is worthless paper now. Last year the Kenyan central bank invalidated all 1000 Kenyan Shilling notes in circulation. This was done to combat financial crime. A similar thing happened in India with its demonetisation not too long ago. 


Someone made Amazon for Animal Crossing

Twitter avatar for @elisefavis
Elise Favis @elisefavis
.@nookazon is a website I’ve been using almost every day while I play Animal Crossing. With nine million listings and 270K active daily users, it’s a huge success. Here’s how it was built, and what it’s creator plans for its future.
washingtonpost.comHe created an Amazon-like website for Animal Crossing. It’s getting millions of clicks per day.An Animal Crossing fan made a site to help players trade as a side project. It’s now averaging millions of clicks per day.
5:14 PM ∙ May 11, 2020
66Likes14Retweets

Of course a bunch of people immediately jumped on this bit of the story:

Twitter avatar for @nic__carter
nic carter @nic__carter
Bells are the currency of serfs. Raccoon central bankers keep you subjugated while collecting their cantillon spoils. Rise up, islanders! Break these inflationary chains!
Image
1:12 PM ∙ May 12, 2020
72Likes6Retweets

I thought Animal Crossing was supposed to be an escape from modern life. But you’ve got mortgages, Central Banks tampering with rates, and hyperinflation. I’ll stick to blowing things up. 


Twitter avatar for @analytical_shit
Analytical Shitposting @analytical_shit
Dimwit —————————————> Chad
Image
Image
8:20 PM ∙ May 11, 2020
558Likes134Retweets

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