As the size of the influencer economy grows, so too does the number of people relying on opaque content moderation policies of the large social media platforms.
Statista suggests the size of the global influencer marketing sector has more than doubled since 2019, and in 2021 was worth US$13.8 billion ($18.6 billion).
Of course, for creators, social media is more than just an advertising channel. It’s a way to build an audience and community of their own. In the case of OnlyFans and Patreon, it provides creators with a way to directly monetise their content, by offering subscriptions to fans. The former’s decision to turn its back on the sex workers who helped build it’s platform, before deciding to reverse course, speaks to how fraught that relationship can be.
It was while spending time in sex positive online communities that Australian entrepreneur Lucy Mort became fascinated by creators building audiences centred on sexuality and femininity. Mort, who led design at dating app Hinge, noticed a gap in the market.
