Rapper Bhad Bhabie earns $1m on OnlyFans at 18 but expert warns teen may 'have regrets'
By Samantha Bartlett, Senior Lifestyle & Travel Reporter - Daily Star
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The number of people joining racy subscription-based site OnlyFans is increasing more and more each day.
With many struggling for work throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the adult platform has been a lifeline for some to earn extra money.
Some people have even become millionaires since selling raunchy photos and videos on the site for a monthly fee.
Many younger people, aged 18 and up, are also turning to the site as a career before even considering other jobs after seeing the success stories.
However, could this be having a detrimental effect on people's mental health if they join the site at such a young age?
The question arose after 18-year-old rapper Bhad Bhabie 'broke an OnlyFans record by earning $1million (£720,000) in six hours' after she joined the site back in April.
The US star decided to create an account on the site just five days after her 18th birthday.
The teen, whose real name is Danielle Bregoli, is charging $23.99 (£17) a month for access to photos and videos on her OnlyFans page.
Subscribers are also promised the ability to "direct message" with the Do It Like Me singer.
The rapper shared a picture late on April 1 on her Instagram account with her 17.1million followers which apparently showed her total haul from OnlyFans at just over $1 million, including $757,526.08 from subscriptions, $267,675 (£548,000) from DM payments, and $5,502.35 (£3,980) in tips.
She told her fans: "Not bad for 6 hours. We broke the f**k out of that OnlyFans record."
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Some people were worried that although she was 18, she was too young to be on the site though.
A social media user told her online: “That’s pretty disturbing to me considering you just turned 18.”
And another agreed: “Baby please. You just turned 18 – this is weird.”
Despite the criticism, the rapper seems to be enjoying her new venture.
On Twitter, she wrote: “I’m having mad fun with this OnlyFans s***. The DMs on there are wild as f***."
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But are people right to be concerned about her age?
Life Coach Carole Ann Rice thinks they are as she shared her concerns.
She told Daily Star: "Considering the human brain doesn't fully mature until we are in our 20s the actions of our youth can often lead to regret.
"The power of a newly discovered sexuality for a young woman is very intoxicating and the desire to seek admiration and use one's attractiveness to garner attention almost irresistible.
"However - if this exposure turns sour and the attention becomes negative this could cause long lasting trauma and regret that will be hard to move away from.
"What we do in our youths today can have repercussions years later with future partners and job roles."
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However, Yasmin Shaheen-Zaffar Counsellor and Founder of Lets Stop Shouting Awareness Day, shared an alternative view.
She argued OnlyFans is "no different" than any other social media platform when it comes to mental health.
The expert commented: "Like anything there are always different sides to a story.
"OnlyFans is no different when it comes to a social media platform effecting the mental health of those using the platform however young they start.
"Like any other platform and walk of life there will be success stories and there will be casualties.
"Importantly it is worth noting that research states a large number of mental health disorders begin by adolescence, so in my opinion what has driven a person onto OnlyFans in the first instance, their support system - or lack of it and their state of mental health when they begin their journey on the platform will be a crucial influence on the mental health of the individual, and their future."
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She added: "Young people are deciding at this age who they are and what they want out of their life. Exploring is key. So it makes sense they will want to explore opportunities - and OnlyFans in this day and age is a well publicised opportunity."
OnlyFans currently has around 50 million users and 450,000 creators.
In May 2020, CEO Tim Stokely revealed the site had been seeing about 200,000 new users every 24 hours and 6,000 to 8,000 new creators joining every day.
The site, which as been around since 2016, was first widely used by sex workers.
However, with celebrities like Cardi B and Bella Thorne using it, the platform is certainly now in the mainstream and shows no signs of slowing down any day soon.
