Linktree, the “link in bio” service focused on content creators, has recently made headlines for dropping sex workers.
Vice News reporter Samantha Cole reported a few days ago that multiple sex workers have claimed that their links have been banned. Such a series of events could prove problematic for adult content creators and sex workers who do follow the guidelines of the platform.
Linktree was designed as a platform that allows users to organize links to all of their social media accounts and platforms all in one place. There are several platforms that offer a similar service, but Linktree is by far one of the most popular sites for the sharing of social links.
When Cole reached out to a spokesperson for Linktree, they confirmed that many sex workers use its services by following community standards and guidelines. However, the spokesperson said that they don’t accommodate links that facilitate in-person sexual services. Nevertheless, Linktree doesn’t appear to accommodate for services in jurisdictions where full-service sex work is legal in most of its forms.
“Per our company’s policies, the Linktree accounts banned stemmed from sharing a URL which violated Community Standards by sharing advertisements for the sale of real-life sexual services,” Marlene Bonnelly, Linktree’s Head of Trust & Safety, said in a statement to Cole.
Other reports published by outlets like Mashable and Engadget cite Cole’s initial report. Mashable reporter Matt Binder requested comments from Linktree asking similar questions to that of Cole’s for Vice, but the comments sent back were quite similar.
Models on social media, especially on Twitter, are livid. Sinfull Moon posted to her Twitter on January 14 that, “my account was deleted because of my Private Delights and Tryst Link.”
“Linktree y’all are fucking ridiculous,” Moon wrote. “You really wanna be on that side of the line? You really wanna fuck over sex workers who use your links mainly?! Gtfoh!”
A user going by Kate King replied to Moon’s initial tweet saying that her Linktree was banned too.
“No email to notify me of the deletion at all,” King relied to Moon. “You suck Linktree.”
Moon also confirmed that she didn’t get any kind of notification either. “It’s a super shitty thing to do and also extremely unprofessional.”
National Women’s Law Center press secretary Gillian Branstetter, in response, also tweeted: “The history of sex work in virtual spaces follows an identical pattern to that of sex work in urban spaces — they popularize and define a setting only to be displaced from it to make space for more privileged newcomers.”
Yep, just discovered I can’t log in. No email to notify me of the deletion at all. You suck @Linktree_
— Kate King 💕 (@katekingxx) January 15, 2022
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Michael McGrady is a contributor to YNOT and YNOT Cam.
Header image via Unsplash here.
