'Icky and heartbreaking': The $2 per hour worker behind the OnlyFans boom

Source: BBC Technology

’Icky and heartbreaking’: The $2 per hour worker behind the OnlyFans boom

A Philippines‑based woman described how “heartbreaking” it is to earn less than $2 per hour while pretending to be much higher‑paid OnlyFans models in online chats.

The platform links creators of explicit content to users who pay a subscription to access material and chat online. While high‑profile creators can earn large sums, the work of interacting with fans and attempting to sell images and videos is often done by low‑paid workers employed by third‑party agencies.

A union representing such workers – known as “chatters” – told BBC News it was concerned about the largely unregulated nature of this type of online work.

OnlyFans, which generated $7.2 bn (£5.3 bn) in revenue in 2024, declined to comment but its terms of service state that its business relationship is solely with the content creator.

“It’s really not pleasant”

The BBC is not naming the woman to protect her identity. Employed by an agency that supplied the model she was impersonating, she said she first took the job to support her family during a period of lower income, earning under $2 per hour on an eight‑hour shift, five days a week.

• Targets: generate hundreds of dollars in sales of pictures and videos each shift.
• Comparison: the most popular creators on the platform claim to earn millions of dollars per month.

A later stint with a different agency offered slightly better conditions and pay—still under $4 per hour. She knew the work would involve explicit content, but even so “sexting” was unpleasant:

“It’s kind of icky when you think about it, because you’ll have to do sexting a lot of times, like several times in an hour, because you’re talking to several fans all at once.”

She said many of the fans seemed “really nice” but were obviously lonely, making the process feel sad, especially since she was not the person she pretended to be. The dishonesty troubled her:

“Technically, I’m scamming them, because I’ll be sending all those photos and videos to them, and I’m just after the sale.”

The use of chatters has led to legal cases against OnlyFans and the agencies that employ them, filed by users and law firms who argue the practice is deceptive. So far, none have succeeded.

Fans sometimes requested “really weird kinks or fetishes,” which she could generally tolerate—but not always.

“There are days where I feel like, ‘what the hell am I doing here?’ because it really takes its toll on you.”

When asked if she felt exploited, she described the sub‑$2‑per‑hour rate as “not her finest hour.”

“It’s really not pleasant, you know? You’re going to question yourself—your morality, even, and your conscience.”
“It’s really kind of heart‑breaking, especially knowing that the agency is getting way more.”

Poor worker protections

The chatter also expressed concerns about potential legal risk, given the relatively strict anti‑pornography laws in the Philippines.

The BPO Industry Employees’ Network (BIEN) is an independent union representing workers in outsourced business‑process jobs in the Philippines. Its president, Mylene Cabalona, told the BBC:

“While the Philippines does have relatively strict laws regarding pornography, our main concern as a union is the largely unregulated nature of this type of online work.”

She highlighted serious concerns about exposure to potentially egregious or harmful content, and the lack of clear guidelines on safety, accountability, and worker protection.

Cabalona also noted some advantages of outsourced digital jobs, including chatting:

“These jobs can offer higher potential income compared to some local entry‑level jobs and provide opportunities to develop skills in digital work, while allowing workers to earn from home and support clients or platforms abroad.”

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