Some chats are actually led by “chat moderators”.picture: dr
On the OnlyFans platform, which is known for erotic content, subscribers believe they are writing directly to their favorite creators. But according to a BBC investigation, many private messages are actually written by anonymous, low-paid workers based on the other side of the world.
Mar 22, 2026, 10:43 p.mMar 22, 2026, 10:43 p.m
When an OnlyFans subscriber writes to a creator, they often imagine chatting with the person featured in the photos they’re dreaming about. He is willing to spend money again and again to maintain this connection. But the creator writing with him is not always the case.
translation
This text was written by our colleagues from French-speaking Switzerland and we translated it for you.
According to an investigation by the BBC Some conversations are actually conducted by so-called “chatters” – workers who are paid to respond to fans while posing as the models.
OnlyFans promises direct access to the creators. But the most popular accounts can receive hundreds of messages every day. To handle this onslaught, some creators – or the agencies that represent them – are outsourcing the conversations to specialized teams.
These chatters are tasked with maintaining the illusion of an intimate exchange. They flirt, respond to subscribers’ personal confessions and encourage them to purchase additional content.
2 dollars per hour
According to the BBC, some of these workers work in countries where wages are very low. One of them, who lives in the Philippines, says anonymously that she is paid about $2 an hour to manage news for a creator. She often has to conduct several conversations at the same time and at the same time adopt the tone and personality of the model.
A union representing these workers expressed concern to the media, citing the “largely unregulated nature of this type of online work.”
The platform itself did not want to comment on these revelations.
A financial opportunity
For some workers, this type of job remains a career opportunity because it provides a stable income – and can be done from home.
But others are stopping because they feel uncomfortable about deceiving subscribers who are convinced they are speaking directly to the creator whose content they are paying for. “There are days when I ask myself: What am I actually doing here?” explains the anonymous worker to the medium.
“It’s really heartbreaking – especially when you know that the agency earns much more from it.”
It should also be noted that the Philippines has relatively strict laws regarding pornography. For some, such work can still offer higher income potential than local jobs. (max)