Florida gubernatorial candidate proposes 50% tax on OnlyFans creators

Republican Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback has proposed a 50% sin tax on income earned by creators on OnlyFans. He argues the state should treat pornography as a socially harmful industry similar to tobacco or alcohol.

Fishback laid out the proposal during a recent speech, calling on Florida to aggressively discourage the porn platform from operating in the state. 

OnlyFans allows creators to sell subscription-based content directly to users, with the company taking a percentage of earnings. While not all accounts feature pornography, many do. The platform is widely associated with explicit sexual content and has grown rapidly in recent years. 

“My message to the owners of OnlyFans is get the hell out of our state,” Fishback said. “I hope you [go] bankrupt. Don’t you dare come to my state and try to exploit and abuse young women.” 

He also directed criticism at both consumers and creators. 

“My message to the men buying this content: stop!” Fishback said. “My message to the women who are being exploited – stop.” 

Fishback estimated the proposed tax could raise about $200 million annually. He said the revenue could fund public priorities, including increasing teacher pay, expanding school lunch programs or funding a statewide mental health initiative. 

When asked how he would respond to creators who say they freely choose to work on the platform, Fishback rejected the premise. 

“Psychology 101. The Stockholm syndrome makes it very clear that if a victim believes it is their choice, it is not,” he said. “I do not believe the young women being exploited and used by OnlyFans right now have a choice. They’re living in a society that venerates that kind of cultural degradation.” 

Supporters of the policy argue pornography warrants serious regulation. 

Vice President JD Vance has previously said states have a responsibility to protect children from online pornography. 

“We have to make the argument that it is objectively bad for kids, bad for parents, and bad for society,” Vance said in 2021. 

Vance later added lawmakers have historically regulated harmful products and should not treat the internet as untouchable. 

“The idea that you can’t regulate the internet in a way that protects children is just absurd,” he said. 

While liberal institutions have largely accepted the normalization of online pornography, Fishback’s proposal reflects a growing push among conservatives to confront the industry directly.