Lots of people joke about making money with feet pics. I know I’m guilty of that, too. So many of us are out here hustling, and it seems so easy to make money doing simple tasks — like taking risque feet pics. But jokes aside, there is a lot involved in content creation of any kind. One thing I’ve learned, and know all too well, is that once you ring that bell, you can’t unring it. I’m talking about the metaphorical bell involved with putting your digital self out there. What goes on the internet stays on the internet forever. Or, at the very least, a long, long time.

As of 2024, the OnlyFans platform has over 190 million registered users, with a huge amount of creators, too. Thousands of those creators are deactivating their accounts monthly. Maybe they didn’t enjoy the experience, they’re done sharing and creating, or they want to move on. But deleting your account isn’t the end of it. While OnlyFans might remove all uploaded content from its own servers, those images and videos may have been saved, downloaded or circulated elsewhere. You’ll likely find it still on forums, adult sites and across various search engines.

Even after deactivating your account, it can follow you, haunt you, exposing you emotionally, reputationally and professionally. It doesn’t seem like there’s much you can do. So, why am I even talking about any of this?

TDM Agency, a full-service agency that specializes in OnlyFans model management, has shared a few tips on helping you clean up your digital footprint after leaving the platform. They’re useful, and they could help a lot of people out, particularly those who want to move past this part of their life. Don’t worry. I’m not here to judge. I don’t care either way, and I put a lot of my private details on sites like Techigar — though I do my best to preserve some privacy. I understand how important that is and how vulnerable not having privacy can make you feel, so I wanted to share these tips.

How to ensure your OnlyFans content is inaccessible and deleted forever

Source: Daniel ZH / Unsplash

• Cancel Any Active Subscriptions — OnlyFans won’t allow the full deletion of creator accounts until all subscriptions have ended. You’ll want to cancel everything initially before moving to the next phase. If you’re still receiving payments from the platform, consider that, too.
• Delete Your Account — Go to Settings > Account > Delete Account and confirm. All of your data will be permanently removed from OnlyFans servers when your account is removed.
• Purge Shared Links — Remove your OnlyFans links and promo content from social media platforms you use, including Twitter (X), Instagram, Reddit, and YouTube.
• Monitor the Web for Reposts — You can use tools like Google’s Reverse Image Search, PimEyes, and NameCheckr to scan for any reposted or reshared content. Use DMCA takedown requests to have it removed from platforms and across hosting providers.
• Request Removal from Search Engines — You can use various search engine tools to remove content that’s no longer hosted but visible in results. For example, Google’s Remove Outdated Content Tool can deindex content. You can also report content as harmful.

If you’re in the United States, you can also:

• Use DMCA services or legal clinics to help remove content, stolen content, or secure your digital rights.
• Always clear local and cloud storage services to remove lingering content like videos and images. Cloud accounts and private drives should be scoured, too.
• Use reputation tools like BrandYourself or DeleteMe to remove outdated profiles and cached content.
• Some more resources include StopNCII.org, Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, and Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

It’s not about shame, but self-care. You deserve privacy and anonymity, including when you’ve engaged in intimate online activities or shared personal sensitive information online. It doesn’t matter. Your journey might have come to an end, abruptly or not, but the internet has a very long memory. Using these resources, you can ensure that reposted content is removed and you can effectively manage your digital exit.

Digital Intimacy and Relationship Expert, Liam Turnbull from TDM Agency, says that “managing your digital exit” involves “monitoring, documenting, and reporting,” and that those actions are “just as important as [removing] the content itself.”

Yes, it can seem like an uphill battle, but your peace of mind is worth it. Stay vigilant if you are trying to delete your digital footprint permanently. And as a fellow content creator, I salute you.

The data used in this story, the tips, and the quote, were originally shared by TDM Agency.