Turkey has blocked the OnlyFans online platform by Istanbul’s Criminal Peace Court.following complaints from the public. The decision comes after a massive social media campaign accusing OnlyFans and its content creators of “obscenity” and “immorality.”
Access to the OnlyFans, which often hosts adult content, was restricted on Wednesday by Istanbul’s Criminal Peace Court.
No official statement has been released on the issue, but Turkish social media users confirmed the restrictions. Users attempting to access the website on Wednesday were met with a warning message that indicated their connection was insecure.
It is not clear whether the ban is temporary or permanent.
“It promotes immoral acts”
The ban appears to have been placed in response to a complaint submitted to the Presidential Communication Centre (CIMER), according to local media.
The Cumhuriyet newspaper quoted a statement sent to CIMER that described the website as promoting “immoral” acts using “disgusting methods”.
“Some users earn more than $10,000 per month from pornographic posts on this platform,” the statement reads. “The fluctuating situation in our country’s economy impacts society and especially the youth badly, and many people resort to bad ways to earn easy money.”
The complaint added that if such platforms were not blocked, then: “Turkish family structure will be eroded and eventually degenerate.”
“There is no internet freedom in Turkey”
Prior to the access ban, OnlyFans had faced accusations of “obscenity” and “immorality” targeting both its content and user base. These accusations surrounding the platform’s content prompted a widespread Twitter campaign earlier in the week with the hashtag #OnlyFansKapatılsın (Close OnlyFans).
In recent years, Ankara has called on social media giants such as Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok to appoint local legal representatives in the country or face millions of dollars worth of fines.
The US-funded rights group Freedom House gave Turkey a score of 32 out of 100 in its 2022 index of internet freedom, indicating the internet was “not free”.