Adult content creators warn new Swedish law ‘takes away safest option'
A new law in Sweden that makes it illegal to buy custom adult content will take effect on July 1. But the content creators say it makes their profession more dangerous.
The new updated legislation makes it so anyone who purchases online sexual content (sexual acts performed remotely with no ty physical contact) or operates a website that makes it easier to get in touch with adult content creators could be imprisoned for up to one year.
Sweden's updated laws are the latest in a series of restrictions to digital porn, like France's age verification law that saw Pornhub temporarily stop operations there, the US' Take it Down Act or the EU's directive to ban sexual deepfakes by 2027.
'The idea is that anyone who buys sexual acts performed remotely should be penalised in the same way as those who buy sexual acts involving physical contact,' Gunnar Strommer, Sweden's Justice Minister, told the newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.
Swedish adult content creators told Euronews Next that the government should reconsider the new law because it could push some of them to more unsafe types of content creation.
'This is just the beginning'
Amanda Breden is a Swedish online adult content creator who's been using online platforms such as OnlyFans for her business, amassing roughly 33,000 followers over the last four years there.
Her business model includes a subscription-based channel where, for $10 (over r€8) a month, users can get access to a large collection of adult images and photos that she's created. Her second free channel generates income through custom content requests that she gets through direct messages (DMs) from fans.
The channel is also something that her husband Max works on, doing the accounting, the payroll and the camerawork.
'The [Swedish] law doesn't just affect me as a creator - it takes away the freedom to do what we want with our own lives,' she told Euronews Next.
'People may not realise that this is just the beginning,.' she added.
Euronews Next reached out to OnlyFans and Pornhub, two major online platforms for adult content. Both said they would comply with the laws in Sweden but did not elaborate on how they would.
OnlyFans has less than 45 million monthly users in the EU, according to the latest transparency report. Pornhub sees about 26.1 million monthly users in the EU, it's website says.
'OnlyFans can save many women from the streets'
The law wouldn't affect Breden too much, she continued, because she has other streams of income, including a hotel and cafe in Sweden.
What is a concern for her is if OnlyFans starts 'blocking' Swedish creators 'because they're afraid of being sued or accused of pimping.'.
'I would actually argue that OnlyFans can save many women from the streets and from pimps who try to control them,' Breden said, noting that it lets creators choose the type of content they sell and that they are able to work from home.
Emma Larsson, an adult content creator, told the European Sex Workers Rights Alliance (ESWRA) that it would push content creators like herself into more unsafe workplaces.
'Our income will decrease so much that we'll be forced to offer services and fulfil requests we would otherwise never agree to,' she said in a pressrelease. 'This law will push us into dangerous situations and take away our safest option.'.
'A dangerous European precedent'
The idea behind Sweden's updated law, according to the government, is to 'strengthen protection against sexual harassment,' fraud against the elderly and crimes with gender as a hate crime motive.
Advocates and adult content creators say there's a general misunderstanding of the rules that platforms already have in place to curb dangerous sexual content.
OnlyFans says in it's content moderation policy that it uses a combination of human and automated filters to determine which content creators cannot be verified as over 18+, that are generated by artificial intelligence (AI), violent or extreme content, and that consent has been given, among other criteria.
'I've had several videos removed, even though they were just harmless roleplay,' Breden said. 'You're absolutely not allowed to even hint at anything that could be seen as 'forced' or similar.'.
Advocacy groups are also concerned about how the laws would be enforced.
The European Sex Workers Rights Alliance said there are risks that the police could be empowered to search phones, computers, and online accounts that are linked to the creation of online adult content.
That then raises 'serious issues around digital surveillance and privacy, especially for vulnerable groups like sex workers already facing discrimination and criminalisation.'.
'This law would set a dangerous precedent across Europe,' the press release reads.
If the government is concerned about safety, Breeden said the company could instead increase the age limit to 25 from 18 to access adult content sites like OnlyFans.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
Europe's leaders call for talks, but Iran says diplomacy's been blown
European leaders responded variously with caution and concern to news of the massive US air strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, but they all called for a return to the negotiating table, despite Iran claiming that diplomatic solutions have now been shot away. Almost all European and EU leaders issued statements on social media X combining warnings that Iran must not develop nuclear weapons, with an entreaty that the country submits to a diplomatic negotiated settlement. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen joined the chorus stating that "Iran must never acquire the bomb", but calling for a diplomatic solution. "With tensions in the Middle East at a new peak, stability must be the priority. And respect for international law is critical. Now is the moment for Iran to engage in a credible diplomatic solution,' von der Leyen wrote, adding: 'The negotiating table is the only place to end this crisis.' "Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, as it would be a threat to international security," the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas chimed in. "I urge all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation," Kallas said in a post, flagging that EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation tomorrow. Antonio Costa - deep alarm at situation EU Council President Antonio Costa registered deep alarm with the news arriving from the Middle East, in a post on X. "I call on all parties to show restraint and respect for international law and nuclear safety," the Council president posted, adding: "Diplomacy remains the only way to bring peace and security to the Middle East region. Too many civilians will once again be the victims of a further escalation." "The EU will continue engaging with the parties and our partners to find a peaceful solution at the negotiating table," he wrote. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday called a meeting of the country's security cabinet and urged Iran "to immediately start negotiations with the US and Israel and come to a diplomatic resolution of the conflict", according to his spokesperson, Stefan Kornelius. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a similar response: neither fully supportive nor remotely critical of the US action. "The strikes against Iran's nuclear programme are of exceptional scale," Finland's President Alexander Stubb observed. "For Finland, it is important that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon and that no new nuclear weapon states emerge in the world," Stubb wrote, adding: "The spiral of vengeance in the Middle East must come to an end. A sustainable solution requires diplomacy, dialogue and respect for the international law. We will closely monitor the situation and continue discussions with our partners and allies." Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni is following the crisis in Iran with the utmost attention and staged a videoconference this morning with relevant ministers and the country's top intelligence officials, Italian news agency ANSA reported, citing Palazzo Chigi sources. The Prime Minister will be in contact with key allies and leaders in the region in the coming hours, according to the report, which added that Italy "will continue its efforts to bring the parties to the negotiating table". Note of detached caution from France France's minister of foreign affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, adopted a slightly less supportive tone of the US airstrikes stating in a post on X that France had taken note 'with great concern' of the US strikes but 'it didn't participate either in those strikes or in their planning.' Barrot called for 'all parties' to show restraint and avoid any 'escalation' of the conflict and insisted that a 'lasting solution' would need to be negotiated in the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. French President Emmanuel Macron did not issue a public reaction to developments on Sunday morning. However the chorus of demand for a return to diplomacy seems unlikely to be answered by Tehran, at least in the short term. Iran's foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X saying that "Last week, we were in negotiations with the US when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy." "This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy." Addressing Keir Starmer and Kaja Kallas directly, Araghchi asked 'What conclusion would you draw?' "To Britain and the EU High Rep, it is Iran which must "return" to the table. But how can Iran return to something it never left, let alone blew up?" While EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels tomorrow, Araghchi will be in Moscow breaking bread with Vladimir Putin, a bad omen for those European leaders seeking a diplomatic exit from the current situation.
Local France
2 hours ago
- Local France
France expresses 'concern' over US Iran strikes, urges 'restraint'
"France has taken note with concern of the strikes carried out last night by the United States of America against three sites of Iran's nuclear programme," Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot posted on X. He said that France did not take part in the planning of those strikes. Paris, Barrot added, "urges all parties to exercise restraint to avoid any escalation that could lead to an extension of the conflict". There was no immediate reaction from President Emmanuel Macron, who had said Saturday that France and its European partners planned to step up talks with Iran. On Friday, British, French, German and EU top diplomats held talks in Geneva with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, a week after Israel started its bombardment of Iranian sites. Advertisement They urged Iran to revive diplomatic efforts with the United States to find a solution in the standoff over its nuclear programme. "France has repeatedly expressed its very firm opposition to Iran's access to nuclear weapons," Barrot said. "France is convinced that a lasting settlement of this issue requires a negotiated solution within the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty."
LeMonde
3 hours ago
- LeMonde
France expresses 'concern' over US strikes on Iran
France expressed "concern" over the United States' air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities on Sunday, June 22, and called on all parties to "exercise restraint" to avoid greater conflict. "France has taken note with concern of the strikes carried out last night by the United States of America against three sites of Iran's nuclear programme," Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot posted on X. He said that France had not taken part in the planning of those strikes. Paris, Barrot added, "urges all parties to exercise restraint to avoid any escalation that could lead to an extension of the conflict." There was no immediate reaction from President Emmanuel Macron, who had said, on Saturday, that France and its European partners planned to step up talks with Iran. On Friday, British, French, German and EU top diplomats held talks in Geneva with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, a week after Israel started its bombardment of Iranian sites. They urged Iran to revive diplomatic efforts with the US to find a solution, amid the standoff over its nuclear programme. "France has repeatedly expressed its very firm opposition to Iran's access to nuclear weapons," Barrot said, adding: "France is convinced that a lasting settlement of this issue requires a negotiated solution within the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty."
