Instagram and Tumblr, for example, were extremely popular platforms among sex workers, before they started clamping down on them in the wake of FOSTA-SESTA. The bill, which was introduced in 2018, was an attempt to shut down the websites that facilitate trafficking, but a number barred posts from sex workers entirely to avoid any potential legal issues, often forcing them into more dangerous situations. However, since the introduction of FOSTA-SESTA, a US law intended to curb sex trafficking, it has been more difficult for sex workers to advertise their services online. This use of unpaid social media as a marketing tool for paid work elsewhere is nothing new. Gwen says that in the past she has created a video on TikTok, screen recorded it and uploaded it straight to OnlyFans – without ever posting to TikTok. The demand for ‘TikTok-style’ porn videos, and the app’s superior editing tools, is fuelling the rate at which NSFW TikTok videos are crossposted to other platforms, such as Pornhub and OnlyFans. While nudity and sexual activity goes against TikTok’s community guidelines, a number of these types of videos slip past the algorithm – and besides, videos don’t need to contain explicit content to help performers drive traffic to other platforms. Transition edits – which allow users to suddenly change outfits, or go from fully clothed to nude – are made easy on TikTok, and have emerged as a particularly popular feature among sex workers using the app. “It’s kind of like being at a strip club, when the performer does something exciting,” she says.

Sam*, a 28-year-old sex worker from San Francisco, also uses the app’s editing features, such as to make her videos.

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