Sex workers, content creators, gig workers, or all of the above: the experiences of sex workers on OnlyFans in Turkey

OnlyFans, a subscription-based platform that is mostly known for its inclusion of adult content creators, has gained mainstream attention globally following the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to gain insight into the experiences of Turkish adult content creators on OnlyFans through seven in-depth interviews conducted with digital sex workers of various genders. The study is concerned with both the exploitation mechanisms and the opportunities that are presented to adult content creators by OnlyFans, workers’ experiences online and offline, and their perceptions of the work they perform. The findings highlight that most OnlyFans users in Turkey do not see themselves as ‘sex workers’; instead, they refer to themselves as ‘influencers’. The country’s recent economic decay seems to be a prominent motivation to use OnlyFans, since the currency exchange makes higher earnings possible. While the platform brings a certain degree of economic relief, the women who participated also expressed that they receive negative reactions from their families and friends. By focusing on the local context, the study aspires to present a nuanced picture of digital sex workers in Turkey.