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India Today
20-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
OnlyFans in crosshairs: Sweden criminalises purchase of custom sexual content
In a step to update its prostitution laws for the digital age, Sweden has passed a new law criminalising the purchase of custom-made sexual content online, including that on platforms like OnlyFans. The law, which comes into effect on July 1, targets "on-demand" sex acts for money — even if performed remotely."This is a new form of sex purchases, and it is high time that we modernise the Sex Purchase Act," said Social Democrat MP Teresa Carvalho, who backed the bill that passed with a large majority in law explicitly criminalises paying for a person to perform a sexual act in real-time on request, while still allowing users to buy or view pre-made videos and material legally. It also prohibits profiting from or promoting such performances, in line with Sweden's broader legal framework that criminalises buying sex but not selling it. "The idea is that anyone who buys sexual acts performed remotely should be penalised in the same way as those who buy sexual acts involving physical contact," explained Justice Minister Gunnar Strmmer to Svenska already prohibits paying for sex, with violators facing up to one year in prison. Swedish law penalises buyers while protecting sex workers. Pimping, for example, carries a four-year prison to the New York Post, the move is similar to the SESTA/FOSTA law passed in the United States under the Trump administration, which similarly cracked down on digital facilitation of sex work. "It mirrors SESTA/FOSTA in its impact on online sex workers, limiting platforms and income," said Yigit Adin, activist at the European Sex Workers' Rights Alliance, speaking to politicians frame the law as a protective measure, critics argue it threatens the livelihoods of independent creators who rely on platforms like OnlyFans."It feels like the politicians don't understand what we work with digitally or do," said OnlyFans creator Sanna Zentio in an interview with TV4. "Many of us are working very independently and safely."Carvalho responded to such concerns, stating that the law does not target OnlyFans but rather protects young people and vulnerable individuals from inputs from AFPTrending Reel
New York Post
20-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
OnlyFans users face prison under harsh new Swedish prostitution law
OnlyFans users in Sweden could face prison sentences under a harsh new law that treats buying online sex shows the same as paying a prostitute for sex. The law, which will take effect July 1, also criminalizes profiting from or promoting others who perform sexual acts for payment on demand. 'This is a new form of sex purchase, and it's high time we modernize the legislation to include digital platforms,' Swedish member of parliament Teresa Carvalho said after the bill passed. 4 OnlyFans users in Sweden could face prison sentences under a harsh new law that treats buying online sex shows the same as paying a prostitute for sex. Koshiro K – Under the new law, it will be illegal to pay someone to carry out a sexual act remotely — such as on a live video stream — for the specific purpose of that act being viewed by the buyer. The law targets live, specially-commissioned interactions — which are especially lucrative and popular among many porn stars on online platforms. Watching and paying for pre-recorded adult content will remain legal. Carvalho, who is part of Sweden's left-wing opposition party, the Social Democrats, said the law is not aimed at targeting OnlyFans models themselves. 4 'This is a new form of sex purchase, and it's high time we modernize the legislation to include digital platforms,' Swedish member of parliament Teresa Carvalho said after the bill passed. Facebook/Teresa Carvalho Instead, she said it will protect young people and other individuals vulnerable to exploitation. She pointed to links between online exploitation and grooming with drug abuse, human trafficking, and prostitution. The bill was proposed by the Swedish parliament's justice committee and received cross-party backing. 4 Swedish OnlyFans model Elsa Thora is seen in an undated Instagram post. Instagram/ In Sweden, paying for sex is already illegal and faces a sentence of up to one year in prison. Sweden's sex trafficking laws focus on punishing the buyers, but not the sex workers. Pimping carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison. This new law cracking down on OnlyFans and other adult sites is similar to the SESTA/FOSTA law passed in the US in 2018 during President Trump's first term in office, which punished platforms that facilitate sex work, Yigit Adin, activist at the European Sex Workers' Rights Alliance, told But others in Sweden want the law to go further, and have called for a total ban on platforms like OnlyFans. 'It is a forum where sexual services are also sold. Prostitution or the sex trade is constantly taking new forms, and it is important that politicians and legislators keep up with the developments that are taking place,' Social Democrats politician Annika Strandhäll told the Swedish newspaper Expressen. 4 Swedish OnlyFans model Cina Podenphant is seen in an undated Instagram post. Instagram/cinapodenphant She also called on age limits on porn sites to shield children from harmful material. 'From the perspective of Swedish women, we see a big problem with the access to gross violent pornography that very young children in Sweden today have, just by pressing a button on their phones,' she said. 'We protect our children in many different ways from gaining access to different things that are not appropriate in our society. For example, if they go to a gambling site, or from having access to alcohol or similar,' she added.
