Several former employees of OnlyFans revealed they still had access to private user information even after leaving the company, suggesting that the adult subscription platform has failed to impose adequate privacy controls.
According to a revelational report from VICE magazine, a number of former OnlyFans employees retained their access to Zendesk — a software the company uses to log and respond to customer support tickets from both subscribers and content creators — long after leaving their position at the company.
The former employees, whom asked to remain private due to potential repercussions, said that Zendesk contains various sensitive information such as drivers’ licenses, passports, credit card information, bank statements, addresses, and even Know Your Customer selfies, where content creators send in photos of their ID next to a selfie of their face for account authentication.
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One particular former OnlyFans employee even showed VICE their capability of logging onto Zendesk, with the news outlet later confirming that at least one other former employee also had the ability to access sensitive user information. “It’s a shame that they have this large company and feel they can play with people’s lives like this,” the former employee explained. “There are already so many things they are in trouble for and privacy should not be one of them. Everyone on that platform, especially sex workers, need to have their information be safe and it isn’t.”
VICE allegedly reached out to OnlyFans for comment, but the adult entertainment company did not respond. According to its privacy policy, the company and its subsidiaries “respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal data we hold about you.”
OnlyFans has recently entered the spotlight after announcing in August that it will prohibit sexually explicit activity and pornographic content on its website, citing financial opposition from its banks. However, the platform reversed its proposed ban shortly after, announcing it had reconciled with its banking partners.
Information for this briefing was found via VICE. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
