Is It Cheating to Use OnlyFans While Dating? Today’s Couples Are Undecided

Visiting an adult website when you’re feeling aroused is nothing new, but OnlyFans and AI have turned online titillation into a much more emotional experience, giving couples a new topic to debate. A recent survey by YouGov asked almost 2,000 British people currently dating: “What Counts as Cheating?” And the results illustrate that the answer might be more complex than just a “yes” or “no”.

When most people think of cheating, they probably think of it plainly as the cheater having sex with someone they’re not currently dating. But as time passes, definitions change, goalposts move and discrepancies arise. 

This survey’s respondents say what counts as cheating is any action that violates the most important tenet of a relationship: trust. Let’s dive into how that influenced their other responses.

46% of the almost 2,000 people surveyed said trust matters the most to them when dating. However, the survey participants couldn’t seem to fully agree on what violates trust and counts as cheating (outside of the obvious stuff). 

95% of those surveyed said having sex with someone else is cheating (duh); around 80% said sending naked photos to others or using a dating app is cheating; kissing someone else is off the table for roughly 75% of respondents and just over 50% believe sharing an emotional bond with someone else is cheating. 

But the further away from the physical world the questions get, the murkier the responses. 

When it comes to engaging in romantic or sexual conversations with an Artificial Intelligence bot designed for those discussions, 30% of the 2,000 surveyed say that’s cheating, while 41% say it’s not. The 41% did note, however, that, even though they don’t consider it cheating, AI sexting is not exactly good for the relationship either. 

The jury’s also still out when it comes to OnlyFans and the world of online “Camgirls”. 

Interacting directly (messaging) OnlyFans or cam models is cheating to 47% of respondents, while 50% don’t believe it’s cheating (even though it’s not completely harmless). 

These responses reflect that the definitions of “betrayal” and “intimacy” are changing right before our eyes. Before AI and the internet, having sex outside of a relationship was considered the only way to cheat. But, as “open relationships” and AI sex bots become more commonplace, the goalposts are in motion once again. 

Looking into why people cheat and what’s happening in their relationships might be a good way to demystify and uncover the reason these definitions vary so vastly. It’s possible that someone chatting with an OnlyFans creator or AI chatbot is feeling like they can’t be emotionally honest with their partner. Someone having sex outside of their relationship might be feeling physically unfulfilled. Interacting with a “Camgirl” online might not seem like a big deal to the person engaging in that behavior, whereas their partner may strongly disagree.

The dizzying speed at which the entire emotional aspect of the dating landscape changed with the integration of AI and companies like OnlyFans adds incredible dimension to the importance of talking through boundaries in relationships. These conversations are now forced into happening sooner rather than later in the interest of full disclosure. Making emotional connections on the internet is easier now than ever before. While “what constitutes cheating” is still very much up for debate, honest communication with your partner is always the best way to avoid misunderstandings.