September 25, 2021 | Online

Patreon is updating adult content rules

Patreon -- a service simliar to OnlyFans -- said it was forced to reexamine its relationship with adult content creators because of pressure from Mastercard. However, the site promised it would continue to welcome producers of X-rated material as long as certain rules were followed.

“We’ve planned our September 23 policy livestream to prioritize questions about Patreon’s adult/18+ policy because we received dozens of questions from adult/18+ creators through this engagement program,” the company announced. “The topic is also particularly timely because payment processing networks like Mastercard have recently established procedures that affect platforms like ours which host adult/18+ content.”

It stated that "Patreon [would] continue to support adult/18+ content that is within our guidelines and we have no plans to ban this category of content."

In order to keep Mastercard happy, Patreon is asking adult/18+ creators ensure they have documentation proving that all people featured on their pages have consented.

Users are also expected to confirm their date of birth and identity by providing a form of government-issued identification. This latter requirement will affect incoming creators first; existing members will require proof at a later date.

"We understand these requirements can feel overwhelming, which is why in the coming weeks and months, we’ll be rolling out tools and procedures to make the process as easy as possible," the company explained.

Of course, this all follows the drama surrounding OnlyFans, which initially tried to drop its X-rated members; the backlash was immediate and the site quickly reversed course. Obviously, the leadership at Patreon were paying attention to drama.