Sweden prohibits the purchase of sexual acts online

 Following the adoption of an amendment to the law on prostitution on 20 May 2025, Sweden has become the first country to prohibit the purchase of sexual acts online, such as those offered by platforms like OnlyFans. 

Since 1 July 2025, paying a person to perform a specific sexual act remotely, whether live or pre-recorded, is illegal in Sweden. Indeed, the Swedish Parliament has recently adopted an amendment to the law governing prostitution which explicitly extends the offence of purchasing sexual acts to acts carried out online. 

As part of its first Capacity Building Webinar for its member organisations, CAP International decided to take a closer look at this event, which marks a major historic turning point in the fight for the abolition of prostitution. The Swedish organisation Talita took part in order to analyse this amendment and explain the reasons that led it to campaign for its adoption. Having become an expert on the issue of online prostitution, Talita was able to share with the other member organisations of CAP International the expertise it acquired at the very heart of the legislative process. 

A Contradiction That Became Untenable 

In Sweden, the law on prostitution has been based on a clear principle since 1999: the purchase of a sexual act is prohibited, while its sale is not. However, over the years, prostitution shifted to digital platforms with the emergence and development of live-streamed sexual acts and personalised on-demand videos. The form changed; the exploitation remained. Yet a contradiction persisted: how can the purchase of a sexual act be prohibited offline while tolerating its equivalent online? This legal inconsistency was one of the starting points of the work carried out by Talita. 

Talita’s Research Work 

Through in-depth research, a rigorous analysis of harm, and testimonies from survivors, Talita came to understand that commercial pornography is not just similar to prostitution; it is its technology-facilitated form. Whether online or offline, prostitution is characterised by dynamics of coercion, economic pressure, and violence. The same patterns also recur among victims: histories of sexual abuse, societal failures to provide protection and support, and severe health consequences linked to cumulative violence, including post-traumatic stress symptoms and dissociation.  

However, a key difference, often emphasised by survivors, lies in the permanence of the digital sphere. Images and videos can be copied, shared, and circulated indefinitely. They escape the control of those who appear in them, and the exposure becomes potentially permanent. The abuse is ongoing. 

The Inquiry 

In practice, commercial pornography and prostitution are two sides of the same coin. Yet they are treated separately within legal and policy frameworks. Together with a coalition of partners, Talita called for the launch of an inquiry into pornography and online exploitation. The objective was clear: to document the direct links between the pornography industry, digital platforms and various forms of sexual exploitation, and to identify regulatory gaps. 

The mobilisation of frontline organisations, survivors and Members of Parliament helped move the debate forward. It ultimately led to the adoption of the amendment on 20 May 2025. 

What the Law Changes 

The text now specifies that the offence of purchasing a sexual act also covers acts carried out remotely and explicitly includes online procuring. In practical terms, paying someone to perform a specific sexual act online is illegal. However, Sweden has not introduced a general ban on platforms such as OnlyFans; subscriptions remain legal, as does the purchase of generic content. 

This distinction nevertheless raises questions. Even without an explicit request, subscribers financially contribute to a system that Sweden considers exploitative. 

Another limitation is that the law does not apply to so-called “traditional” pornographic production. When a producer pays individuals to perform sexual acts intended for public distribution, this does not fall within the offence of purchasing a sexual act as redefined by the amendment. 

A Strong Political Signal 

Despite these limitations, the reform sends a clear message: the digital sphere cannot be a lawless space, and the artificial boundary between pornography and prostitution is crumbling. Sweden has also strengthened its national support programme for victims of sexual exploitation, including victims of pornography, affirming that efforts to combat the purchase of sexual acts must be accompanied by concrete support for those affected. 

During the capacity-building webinar, Talita reiterated that recognising the continuity between online and offline prostitution is an essential step. The law must reflect the reality of the violence experienced. 

With this amendment, Sweden extends its abolitionist model into the digital sphere — and opens a debate that reaches far beyond its borders. 

Photographer : Josephine Frendin

• Sweden
• prostitution
• Onlyfans
• Talita
• pornography
• online
• amendment