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James Besanvalle
Dec 01, 2020
After Bella Thorne joined OnlyFans – a subscription-based platform, mainly used for sharing adult content – the site was changed forever.
It all started when Thorne joined OnlyFans in August and invited people to subscribe to her page for $20 (£15) a month.
Within 24 hours, the former Disney Channel actor reportedly broke a record by earning $1m during her first full day on the site.
But sex workers aren’t happy. While the site isn’t used exclusively for adult content, many sex workers do rely on it for income, especially during the pandemic.
They allege Thorne charged $200 (£149) for a supposedly “nude” pay-per-view (PPV) photoset that turned out to be her wearing lingerie – causing some of her subscribers to complain.
The sex workers claimed a rush of people requesting refunds made OnlyFans implement a $50 cap on PPV posts, as well as earnings from the site being paid out monthly now instead of weekly.
I’m doing a Fuck Bella Thorne 50% Off Sale on my OnlyFans for the next 50 subscribers, which you get hundreds of pi… https://t.co/yZJWA0eFPx— Erika Heidewald 🔮 $erikaheidewald (@Erika Heidewald 🔮 $erikaheidewald) 1598654709
As a result, OnlyFans content creator Erika Heidewald started a “F*** Bella Thorne” sale, offering 50 per cent off for new subscribers.
She tweeted:
So for those confused about the whole Bella Thorne /onlyfans thing and how she’s harmed hard working SW’s here’s a… https://t.co/E55mKc67DI— Bria (@Bria) 1598616704
Then other OnlyFans content creators followed suit:
@erikaheidewald I just subbed! Thank you so much for speaking out for us! You have inspired me to start my own “Fuc… https://t.co/QLhrW0Dgfy— Ms. Jayde Willow (blonde bimbo arc) (@Ms. Jayde Willow (blonde bimbo arc)) 1598670833
On Saturday, Thorne addressed the “new restrictions” on the subscription-based platform and took the opportunity to apologise:
PT1 Remove the stigma behind sex, sex work, and the negativity that surrounds the word SEX itself by bringing a mai… https://t.co/7VjfaXGVoO— BITCHIMBELLATHORNE (@BITCHIMBELLATHORNE) 1598739859
behind anything sex related. I wrote and directed a porn against the high brows of my peers and managers because I… https://t.co/7a3rn8ZTve— BITCHIMBELLATHORNE (@BITCHIMBELLATHORNE) 1598739986
...I am a mainstream face and when you have a voice, a platform, you try to use you in helping others and advocate… https://t.co/m87ddVXRrP— BITCHIMBELLATHORNE (@BITCHIMBELLATHORNE) 1598740041
Ps. I’m meeting with only fans about the new restrictions to find out why!!! This is fucked up and I’m sorry commen… https://t.co/12XDEVBtkT— BITCHIMBELLATHORNE (@BITCHIMBELLATHORNE) 1598740126
After posting these tweets on Saturday, Thorne has remained silent on Twitter – except for retweeting a post in her defence, that claimed "I think it’s great more mainstream people are joining."