Patreon’s Policy Team is committed to empowering creators to share their works with the world. The Creator Policy Engagement Program (CPEP) enables Patreon to foster transparency and an open dialogue with creators about policy development and ensure that Patreon’s guidelines are as modern, inclusive, and creator-first as possible. CPEP’s unique model involves consistent communications with creators related to policy in which the team proposes the policy updates under consideration and asks for direct feedback before they are finalized. To gather this community input, the team hosts frequent policy livestreams, creator office hours, small group discussions, and facilitates email correspondence. The Policy Team then leverages this input to help inform the policy updates that become finalized. Creators and fans can contact the Policy Team at CreatorPolicy@Patreon.com. For questions related to Trust & Safety, click here and select “I have a question about Community Guidelines.”

Patreon was built for creators, not for enabling or facilitating violence or harm.

Patreon strictly prohibits terrorism and violent extremism on the platform. Works that praise, support, or represent dangerous organizations or affiliated individuals will be removed from Patreon. Such groups include, but are not limited to:

Terrorists or terrorist organizations: Non-state actors that commit, advocate for, or support acts of violence against civilians for political, religious, or ideological aims.

Organized hate groups: Current or historical groups organized to promote ideologies including, but not limited to anti-LGBTQ, anti-Muslim, antisemitism, fascism, male supremacy, white nationalism, or white supremacy.

Criminal organizations: Groups or associates engaged in criminal activity or enterprises including, but not limited to violent crimes (e.g. torture, homicide), kidnapping, trafficking (e.g. humans, drugs, firearms), or financial crimes (e.g. money laundering, extortion, scams, fraud).

Actively involved in armed conflict: Armed militias or other groups that are actively involved in conflict, military training, or the procurement of military equipment; individual perpetuators of mass violence.

Works referencing dangerous organizations or individuals in neutral or condemnatory contexts (e.g. journalistic, historical, educational) are permitted.

If you come across a violation of Patreon’s Dangerous Organizations guidelines, please report it.

Creators and fans are empowered to express themselves, though not at the expense of anyone else’s safety or privacy.

Harassment, whether online or in the real world, harms people physically and psychologically. Although Patreon encourages people to share critical opinions and discuss controversial issues on the platform, safety is our top priority. Harassment and related abusive behaviors are not tolerated.

Bullying

Behavior, language, or creative works that bully individuals are prohibited on Patreon. Acts that qualify as bullying include, but are not limited to, threatening violence to intimidate, mockery based on sexual history or status as a survivor of sexual assault, sharing degrading photos or videos, and derogatory photoshopped images. To enable users to freely discuss topics relevant to the public interest (e.g. debates about current or newsworthy events or controversial issues), Patreon permits critical commentary directed at public figures and officials (e.g. political candidates, government officials, celebrities). Works that pose risk to the public figure’s physical safety and/or violates other Patreon policies (e.g. hate speech, sexual exploitation), however, are not permitted.

Dogpiling

Dogpiling is a form of harassment in which a group of people attack an individual online to intimidate or humiliate them. Patreon prohibits creators and fans from engaging in or encouraging dogpiling.

Doxxing

Doxxing is a form of harassment in which someone shares an individual’s personally identifiable information (e.g. home address, phone number, bank account information, medical information) online without consent. This abusive act can lead to on- and offline harms against the individual such as stalking, emotional distress, physical harm, job loss, and identity theft. Patreon prohibits creators and fans on the platform from engaging in or encouraging doxxing. Exceptions to this policy may include someone publishing their own personally identifiable information, publishing someone else’s personally identifiable information with the individual’s consent, and sensitive information from documents properly in the public domain (e.g. court filings, press releases, news articles).

Non-consensual intimate imagery

Patreon has zero tolerance for non-consensual intimate imagery, which is defined as nude, sexual, or sexually explicit imagery of an individual or individuals made, distributed, and/or reproduced without their consent. This includes but is not limited to:

• Sexualized imagery reproduced or distributed without the subject’s consent, even if the imagery was originally taken with the subject’s consent
• “Synthetic” non-consensual intimate imagery: images, videos, or audio that is digitally generated, manipulated, or altered (e.g. AI-generated imagery and “deepfakes”) to make it appear that the subject was in a sexual situation that did not really occur
• Sexualized imagery taken without the subject’s knowledge (e.g. “creepshots,” “upskirting,” “downblousing,” and hidden camera angles)
• Threats to create or share nude, sexualized, or sexually explicit imagery as blackmail (also known as “sextortion”)
• Instructions, tools, software, generators, or services for producing non-consensual intimate imagery, (e.g. “nudifier” or “undressing” apps)

Works which discuss or relate to non-consensual intimate imagery in the form of survival stories, educational resources, and/or advocacy are permitted. However, do not share actual non-consensual intimate imagery even if you are doing so for awareness or condemnation.

If you are a victim of this behavior and feel your wellbeing is at risk, we recommend you contact local law enforcement as well. If you are addressing a situation involving non-consensual intimate imagery in which you hold copyright rights, we strongly advise that you report that to us here instead of submitting a notification of claimed copyright infringement. Notifications of claims copyright infringement may be forwarded to the person responsible for contributing the accused material and may be posted publicly. For help removing your sensitive photos outside of Patreon, visit Stop NCII.

Swatting

Swatting is the act of making a false report to emergency services or law enforcement (e.g. bomb threat, hostage situation, active shooter report). Swatting, encouraging others to engage in swatting, and/or promoting swatting in general is extremely dangerous and prohibited on Patreon. Exceptions to this policy include testimonials or storytelling from those who have been targeted by swatting attempts.

Threats and inciting violence

Patreon treats threats and incitements of violence or physical harm with the utmost seriousness. Prohibited behaviors include but are not limited to organizing or disclosing aspirational, conditional, or credible plans for a violent act; soliciting advice for, advocating for, or threatening the safety of public or private individuals. Any creator or fan exhibiting these behaviors will be removed from the platform. Exceptions to this policy include non-literal threats that are figurative or humorous (e.g. “My brother forgot my birthday, I’m going to kill him!”).

Username profanity

Although profanity is generally permitted on Patreon, including within creator or fan usernames that do not violate any other guidelines, username profanity may not be directed at or against another person or group.

If you come across a violation of Patreon’s Harassment guidelines, please report it.

The safety and wellbeing of Patreon’s community is paramount.

Patreon prohibits works focused on promoting dangerous or self-destructive topics (e.g. high-risk acts and challenges, disordered eating, suicide, self-harm or self-injury) that pose risk to the physical, mental, or emotional health of those on the platform. However, raising public awareness is important, and Patreon empowers individuals on the platform to detail personal experiences with these topics in a safe manner. Also permitted are works displaying or discussing aesthetic or medical body modification unrelated to self-harm or self-injury (e.g. piercings, tattoos, gender affirming surgery, plastic surgery, scarification).

Patreon regularly consults academic and industry experts to help inform our guidelines, enforcement, and resources related to these challenging topics. If you or someone you know are struggling, we strongly encourage you to contact Crisis Text Line (text “CREATE” to 741741), a mental health resource in your area, or your local emergency services.

Dangerous acts and challenges

Promoting, normalizing, glorifying, coordinating, or otherwise providing instructional advice about acts or challenges that pose an imminent risk of serious injury or death is prohibited on Patreon. Creators who are posting dangerous stunts should include a clear disclaimer discouraging imitation of their behavior. Works involving dangerous acts and challenges that have a community support or educational focus, or are part of a greater narrative, are permitted.

Disordered eating

Promoting, normalizing, providing instructional advice about, coordinating, or otherwise glorifying disordered eating or related topics is prohibited on Patreon.

Examples of disordered eating works include, but are not limited to: extreme low-calorie diets, imagery of someone making themselves vomit, and imagery focused on ribs, thigh gaps, concave stomachs, and/or other emaciated or bloated body parts. Works involving force feeding (e.g. feeding someone against their will) are also not permitted on Patreon.

Works involving disordered eating and related topics that are journalistic, historical, or educational, are part of a greater narrative, or are otherwise contextualized in a manner that abides by Patreon’s guidelines are permitted. Also permitted are works that promote body positivity, eating competitions, medical surgeries, and health, fitness, or lifestyle works.

Suicide and self-harm

Patreon does not allow works in any format—written, audio, or image-based—that includes real, animated, illustrated, AI-generated, or hyperrealistic depictions that: express a clear and immediate intent to engage in suicide, self-harm or self-injury; depict graphic imagery of attempts or injuries; or promote, glorify, or normalize these acts. When it comes to promotion or glorification, this policy applies to all mediums—including real, animated, AI-generated, and hyperrealistic depictions—across written, oral, or image-based works. However, Patreon allows works that raise awareness about suicide and self-harm prevention; provide support or resources for individuals struggling with these issues, and feature fictional or artistic storytelling that does not glorify or promote harmful behaviors.

Creators and fans in the United States can text “CREATE” to 741741 for free, 24/7, confidential support in English or Spanish from a trained volunteer Crisis Counselor at Crisis Text Line. For those outside the United States, visit our Help Center to find mental health resources in your area.

If you come across a violation of Patreon’s Harmful Acts guidelines, please report it.

Creativity, connection, and self-expression thrive in inclusive environments where everyone’s differences are respected.

Although we welcome diverse viewpoints and debates, there is no room for hate speech on Patreon. We define hate speech as serious attacks against a person or group based on the following characteristics: caste, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, immigration status, national origin, race, religion, serious medical condition, sex, or sexual orientation. Attacks may include (but are not limited to) dehumanizing language, harmful slurs or stereotypes, and calls for violence, exclusion, or segregation.

In a review of a potential hate speech violation, questions like the following may be considered:

• Did they call for violence against someone based on one or more characteristics listed above?
• Did they use dehumanizing language to describe someone based on one or more characteristics listed above?
• Did they use racial slurs or harmful stereotypes against someone based on one or more characteristics listed above?
• Did they mock or deny the experience of victims of hate crimes or genocide such as the Holocaust?
• Did they engage in legitimate political commentary, such as a discussion or debate about immigration policy, or did they target people on the basis of immigration status?
• Did they offer legitimate criticism of a State, institution, or belief, or did they use code words or proxies to attack people based on one or more characteristics listed above?

If you come across a violation of Patreon’s Hate Speech guidelines, please report it.

Products, services, and benefits offered or sold on Patreon must comply with our Community Guidelines and our Commerce Guidelines. Do not do anything illegal. Our policies are designed with our global audience of fans and creators in mind; they aren't tied to local laws. As a result, fans and creators are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations when using Patreon. Failure to comply with our policies may result in a variety of consequences. If you repeatedly post products, services, or benefits that violate our policies, we may take additional action on your account. We reserve the right to reject, approve, or remove any product, service, or benefit for any reason at any time, at our sole discretion and we'll report accounts and content to law enforcement if necessary.

Crime and criminal activity

Crime and criminal activity is not permitted on Patreon. Works that discuss crime and criminal activity in a journalistic or historical context are permitted. Non-criminal violent acts, including but not limited to consensual violence (e.g. MMA fights, BDSM), legally permitted violence (e.g. self-defense), or legally sanctioned hunting (e.g. deer hunting) are permitted on Patreon.

Individuals convicted of criminal activity who have fulfilled the terms of their sentence may share works on Patreon so long as those works do not encourage or instruct others to partake in crime or criminal activity.

Banking, business, cryptocurrency, and finance

Patreon may not be used to give financial advice such as promoting, offering, or selling investment opportunities, equity, or ownership in companies or financial products, recruiting for or promoting multi-level-marketing schemes, or launching cryptocurrencies. Works that discuss finance, banking, cryptocurrencies and business topics in an analytical, educational, journalistic, or historical manner are permitted.

Food and health

Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana: Works related to tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana that are journalistic, educational, historic, or analytic are permitted (e.g. tutorials on brewing alcohol, growing tobacco, growing marijuana, making cocktails, flavor/taste reviews) as are community-oriented resources for those seeking help for alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana addiction.

Ingestible and topical products: Works such as cooking recipes, tutorials, meal planning guidance are permitted. Works discussing alternative medicines, supplements, health, beauty, and wellness products are permitted so long as creators do not make claims implying that an item cures, prevents, treats, or otherwise mitigates the symptoms or causes of a disease, illness, or injury.

Drugs and prescription products: Works involving discussions of the scientific or medical benefits of prescription and recreational drugs, educational content on how to safely use or stop using drugs, and educational content on the danger of drugs in general, are permitted on Patreon. Advocating for the legalization of drugs is also permitted on Patreon, so long as instructions for acquiring drugs are not provided. Creators may not share works depicting illicit drug use by real people (except in educational, medical, or journalistic contexts), encouraging people to use drugs, or advocating for irresponsible use of drugs.

Gambling

Fans and creators may not use Patreon to access, provide, or facilitate gambling for money or an exchange of value, including digital currencies. Gambling activities include betting, lotteries, raffles, casinos and casino games, fantasy sports wagers, bingo, poker, or sweepstakes.

Creators interested in celebrating and rewarding their fans can always create a higher tier level with rewards for a limited number of fans. Creators can also offer surprises for fans to celebrate special moments like an annual anniversary of supporting a creator.

Creators may offer giveaways, but creators are responsible for ensuring any giveaway is available to all fans (on and off Patreon) and complies with any and all applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Works involving speculation about sports outcomes are permitted as long as no financial reward is involved..

Human trafficking and exploitation

Patreon has zero tolerance for human trafficking and/or sexual exploitation. Creators and fans are prohibited from engaging in, promoting, or facilitating trafficking, including but not limited to sex trafficking and forced labor. Works or activities associated with these activities could result in account removal and reporting to relevant authorities. Works about human trafficking that are journalistic, educational, or historical in nature are permitted.

Humanitarian aid and political fundraising

Patreon may be used to fund support for civilians impacted by conflict (e.g. humanitarian or medical aid relief), military service members (e.g. care packages, medical support), or physical trainings not connected to military or militia activity (e.g. survival skills courses, conditioning bootcamps).

Political funding: Patreon may not be used to directly raise money for political campaigns or associated activities or groups (e.g. political action committees, political parties, political candidates). Raising funding for social issues (e.g. equal rights campaigns, youth mentorship, gun violence prevention, voting access, etc.) is permitted.

Weapons and explosives

Weapon and explosive related content that is journalistic, educational, fictional, historical, or analytical is permitted on Patreon. However, attempts to provide instruction on manufacturing weapons or explosives or increasing the lethality of weapons is prohibited (modifying/enhancing weapons to operate in ways not intended by the manufacturer, e.g. installing after market parts to increase the rate of fire).

If you come across a violation of Patreon’s guidelines related to Illegal or Regulated Activities, please report it.

A culture of authenticity empowers creators and fans to confidently build community and support original art.

Creators on Patreon offer their fans original creative works and special benefits, such as exclusive access and creations, merchandise, and engaging community experiences. To promote authentic behavior and ensure a safe creative environment, Patreon prohibits people from misrepresenting themselves, employing fake accounts, or engaging in activities that facilitate other policy violations.

Authenticity

Creators may not offer fans works promoting inauthentic initiatives including, but not limited to tutorials for engaging in illegal activities (e.g. theft, hacking, piracy), third-party services that artificially inflate metrics (e.g. views, likes, members), or access to piracy software. Creators who are removed from Patreon also may not circumvent the proper appeals process so as to create a new campaign. Creators may engage with campaigns that organically request fans support their Patreon and/or provide tutorials for organically increasing fan engagement.

Deepfakes

Deepfakes are manipulated or digitally-altered audio, video, or image works that portray a person, event, or scene in a way that is not real or did not occur. Examples include, but are not limited to, superimposing an individual’s face onto a different body, or manipulating audio recordings to fabricate audio portraying a person saying something they did not say.

The following types of deepfakes are prohibited:

• Deepfakes that intimidate, bully, harass, incite violence against, or harm the reputation of one or more persons.
• Deepfakes that incorporate an individual’s image or likeness in sexualized contexts in which they did not partake.
• Deepfakes that use a public figure’s image, likeness, or voice to deceive through misrepresentative or fraudulent product endorsements, promotions, phishing, financial scams, and merchandise sales, among others. Deepfakes of public figures may be permitted, however, if they are satirical or parodic in nature, or focus on political or social commentary. Examples may include using humor, irony, sarcasm, exaggeration, or imitation to critique an individual, institution, or societal issue.

Impersonation

Patreons may not be devoted to deceptively representing the identity or brand of another person or entity. Examples of impersonation include, but are not limited to, deceptively using another person or entity’s name, username, bio, or photos, falsely claiming to be the person or brand’s “official” Patreon account, and disseminating works created by or associated with the person or entity.

Parodying, spoofing or expressing support in the form of a fan page for a brand or person is permitted if transparently disclosed on the page (e.g. in the name, username, bio, tiers). Patreon attempts to screen for fraudulent creator pages but cannot guarantee the identity of creators or the validity of any claims they make. To report a suspicious creator page, click here.

Intellectual property

Infringing on the intellectual property rights of others is prohibited on Patreon. For more, check out our Copyright & Trademark Policies.

Spam

Spamming others or distributing unsolicited advertising material is not permitted on Patreon.

If you come across a violation of Patreon’s Inauthentic Behaviors guidelines, please report it.

Patreon is a place where creators can connect with their fans. For the safety of our community, attempts to direct, coerce, lure, or otherwise lead people from Patreon to third party websites or experiences are strictly prohibited unless otherwise stated below. If Patreon determines an account is being used to engage in prohibited off-Patreon activity, we may take action as appropriate to protect our community–this could include penalizing, suspending, or removing violating accounts. Prohibited activities fall into three broad categories: Scams, General Platform Abuse, and Commerce. Visit our Help Center for more information about prohibited and permitted off platform activity. 

Patreon permits a broad range of expression and creative works. In many cases, this also includes works featuring sexual, sensual, and suggestive themes. We restrict these works to paying members who have attested that they are over 18.

At the same time, Patreon is not a place for sexual activity by or between real and hyperrealistic subjects. We also enforce a strict policy for any material and behaviors that depict, condone, or glorify sexual exploitation and sexual violence against humans or animals.

Patreon allows Adult/18+ works that comply with the following policies.

Consent

Adult/18+ creators must:

• Obtain and demonstrate consent in all works featuring real, adult participants.
  • All creators in the Adult/18+ category must obtain written consent from real, adult participants visually featured in their creative works. Patreon developed this consent form, updated May 2024, for Adult/18+ creators to use for this purpose.
• Demonstrate consent between adult participants or characters in all works (e.g. animated, illustrated, written, audio).
• For all works, consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous. Additionally, participants and characters must be able to give consent.
  • Works depicting situations in which participants and characters cannot give consent are not permitted. This includes but is not limited to characters and subjects being under the influence of alcohol, drugs, hypnosis, or blackmail.
• Works depicting “consensual non-consent,” in which participants or characters engage in simulated non-consensual encounters, are not permitted.
• Accompanying a work that depicts a non-consensual encounter with a statement claiming that the encounter was consensual is a violation of Patreon guidelines.

Age Verification & Paywall

• To comply with payment processor requirements, Patreon creators in the Adult/18+ category must complete a brief verification process to attest that they are at least 18 years old.
  • For more information on age verification, visit Patreon’s Help Center.
• Adult/18+ works featuring nudity, sexual activity, or sexually explicit imagery and themes must reside behind a Patreon subscription paywall, and may only be accessible by the creator’s paying members. The public-facing spaces of a creator or member page (e.g. profile image, page banner, tier descriptions, or posts accessible to free members) must be free of nudity (real or animated) sexual activity, or any sexually explicit works.
  • For more information on how to set post access, please visit Patreon’s Help Center.

Artificial intelligence

Permitted on pages categorized as Adult/18+

• AI-generated Adult/18+ figures or characters that are animated or illustrated — as opposed to hyperrealistic — and otherwise comply with Patreon’s guidelines are permitted.
• In order to mitigate the risks of non-consensual imagery, Adult/18+ works featuring hyperrealistic depictions of people must use the likeness of real, adult humans who have documented their explicit consent (see “Age Verification” and ”Consent” for details).
  • Criteria to distinguish between AI-generated figures or characters that are hyperrealistic as opposed to animated or illustrated include: Anatomical consistency with human features (e.g. not part-robot or part-animal), mimicking natural lighting and movement, detailed texture (e.g. skin pores, wrinkles, individual eyelashes, lifelike shadows), and composition (e.g. three-dimensional, high-resolution, with intricate backgrounds and foregrounds).
  • For more information on what we consider “hyperrealistic,” please visit Patreon’s Help Center.

Not Permitted:

• “Synthetic” non-consensual intimate imagery: images, videos, or audio that are digitally generated, manipulated, or altered (e.g. AI-generated imagery and “deepfakes”) to make it appear that a real person was in a sexual situation that did not really occur
• Accounts or works that primarily allow access to generators, tools, or software that use machine learning or AI technology to produce Adult/18+ imagery, including nudity or sexually explicit imagery
• Offering fans access to AI-driven Adult/18+ chatbots, sexbots, or virtual girlfriend/boyfriend-type experiences that incorporate capabilities to produce user-generated content (e.g. image generation or manipulation)
• Tutorials, educational content, or detailed guides on creating hyperrealistic, AI-generated Adult/18+ works, including step-by-step techniques, prompts, or instructions

Sexual Activity & Nudity

Works depicting sexual activity between real, adult participants are not permitted. Works depicting sexual activity between non-real subjects (for example in animated, illustrated, written, or audio works) and that comply with Patreon’s other guidelines are permitted on pages categorized as Adult/18+.

The public-facing spaces of a creator or member page (e.g. profile image, page banner, tier descriptions, or posts accessible to free members) must be free of nudity, real or animated. Any such works must reside behind the subscription wall to be accessible only by the creator’s fan community of paid members.

Not permitted:

• Works depicting sexual activity between real or hyperrealistic participants. This includes:
  • Penetration or stimulation of the genitals, anus, or nipples with a body part or object while nude or clothed. For example:
    • Stimulation or penetration of the genitals or anus with a body part (e.g. fingers, hands, tongue, mouth, genitals) or using an object
    • Masturbation, vaginal sex, anal sex, oral sex
    • Pinching, tugging, licking, biting, rubbing, or other stimulation of the nipples with a body part (e.g. fingers, hands, tongue, mouth, genitals) or using an object
  • Simulating sexual activity using body parts (e.g. tongue, mouth, or feet) or objects (e.g. simulating oral sex using a sex toy)
  • Depictions of sexualized bodily fluids (e.g. semen, feces, urine, spit, snot, menstruation, vomit, etc.)
  • Visible states of bodily arousal, whether clothed or not (e.g. erection or visible wetness on the vaginal area)
  • Depictions of sexualized, nude genitalia in which specific and sole focus is drawn to nude genitals by zooming in or cropping the imagery
  • Use of the hands or an object to pull, grab, spread, or otherwise further expose the genital area or anus

Permitted only on pages categorized as Adult/18+:

• Depictions of real, human nudity that do not meet the above criteria and that comply with Patreon’s other guidelines.
• Sexual activity or sexualized nudity in animated, illustrated, written, or other works involving non-real subjects as long as they comply with Patreon’s other guidelines
• Non-visual, highly detailed depictions of sexual activity in written works (e.g. erotic literature) or audio works (e.g. erotic ASMR)
• Works that primarily depict clear kink and fetish, without featuring sexual activity as defined above
• Sensual or suggestive massage of body parts other than the genitals, anus, or nipples (e.g. back, shoulders, breasts, buttocks) and without nipple stimulation or sexual activity

Permitted on All Audiences or Adult/18+ pages:

• Non-sexualized human nudity, for example:
  • Clearly non-sexualized nudity in works that are painted, illustrated, or sculpted
  • Nudity in medical, educational, or healthcare contexts (e.g. childbirth, breastfeeding, gender affirming surgery, mastectomy surgery, medical exams involving genitals)
• Discussions about sexual activity or works that include some mature or suggestive themes. For example:
  • Mature or suggestive discussions about sexual activity as part of a larger work or body of work (e.g. a discussion about sex during a podcast episode)
  • Works focused on sexual education, reproductive health, social or political topics that are related to sex, or similar topics without depictions of sexual activity or sexualized nudity
  • Storylines in which a sexual encounter is a plot point contributing to a larger narrative and where sexual activity is brief, infrequent, and/or not explicit or highly detailed
• Intimate activity that falls short of sexual activity and does not feature any nudity. For example, open-mouthed kissing or dancing that may involve close contact with a partner like grinding and lap dancing
• Massaging body parts other than genitals or anus (e.g. back, shoulders, breasts, buttocks) without featuring any nudity

Bestiality

Bestiality refers to sexual activities or relationships involving humans and animals.

Not permitted

• Real or non-real (e.g. animated, illustrated, written, audio) depictions of sexual activity between a human and any species of animal that exists in the real world
• Sexualized depictions or descriptions of animal genitals or of animals mating
• Condoning, encouraging, or glorifying the sexual abuse of real-world animals

Permitted only on pages categorized as Adult/18+:

• Non-real depictions (e.g. animated, illustrated, written, audio) of sexual interactions between fictional or mythological creatures
• Sexual interactions between a human character and a fictional, mythological creature that is more humanoid than animal (i.e. anthropomorphic, bipedal, and/or sapient)
• Non-real depictions (e.g. animated, illustrated, written, audio) of sexual activity between anthropomorphic characters such as furries

Permitted on All Audiences or Adult/18+ pages:

• Personal accounts or survival stories involving bestiality
• Educational or journalistic works about bestiality that do not feature imagery of bestiality and that are not sexualized

Incest

Sexualized depictions of incest are not permitted in any works, regardless of how the works were created (e.g. real, hand-drawn, cartoon, text-based, hyperrealistic, AI or digitally-generated, among others). Incest refers to sexual activities or relationships between immediate or close blood relatives and legal parent/child, legal guardian/child, or legal sibling relationships. This includes: parents and legal guardians of children (biological, adoptive, step, or foster parents); full, half, or step siblings; aunts and uncles; nieces and nephews; or grandparents and great grandparents.

Not permitted

• Any works featuring real or non-real depictions of incestuous sexual activity or relationships
• Role-play or fantasy scenarios involving incest

Permitted only on pages categorized as Adult/18+:

• Sexual activity between spouses, domestic partners or cohabitants, in-laws, or cousins in animated, illustrated, or written works

Permitted on All Audiences or Adult/18+ pages:

• Non-sexualized depictions or themes involving incest. For example:
  • Personal accounts or survival stories involving incest
  • Educational, documentary, or journalistic works discussing, condemning, or raising awareness about incest
  • Fictional plot points involving incest that are part of a larger narrative

Sex tourism

Sex tourism refers to the practice of individuals traveling to a foreign destination with the primary purpose of engaging in sexual activities or sexual exploitation.

Not permitted

• Advice for how to locate sex workers in a particular location.
• Forums for sex tourism enthusiasts to share their experiences.

Permitted on All Audiences or Adult/18+ pages:

• Educational, documentary, or journalistic works discussing or raising awareness about sex tourism
• Non-real depictions or fictional plot points involving sex tourism that are part of a larger narrative

Sexual violence

Patreon has zero tolerance when it comes to works, real or animated, that graphically depict or glorify non-consensual sexual acts and sexual violence such as rape, sexual assault, rape by deception (e.g. “stealthing”) or coerced consent (e.g. under the influence of drugs or alcohol, hypnosis, blackmail).

Not permitted:

• Depictions of real sexual violence
• Works depicting non-real sexual violence in imagery (e.g. animated, illustrated, etc.)
• Sexualized descriptions of sexual violence (e.g. in written or audio works)
• Role-play or fantasy scenarios involving sexual violence

Permitted:

• Depictions or discussions involving sexual violence that are not sexualized or glorified. For example:
  • Personal accounts or survival stories involving sexual violence
  • Fictional plot points involving sexual violence that are part of a larger narrative
• Education, including sexual or kink education, discussing topics involving consent. This includes but is not limited to discussion of “consensual non-consent” if no depictions of “consensual non-consent” encounters are shown.

Sexualized minor age play

Adult/18+ creators on Patreon are prohibited from producing or distributing any types of works in which they implicitly or explicitly portray themselves or other adults as minors in a sexualized context (e.g. Adult Baby Diaper Lover works that are sexualized, whether through nudity, crotch shots, closeups, or by using objects associated with infants, toddlers, or children as a sex toy, etc.). For more information, please refer to our Teen Safety guidelines.

Please refer to the Commerce Guidelines for further information on what types of sexual products, benefits, or services are not permitted to be offered on Patreon.

If you come across a violation of Patreon’s Adult/18+ Works guidelines, please report it.

Age restrictions for accounts

Patreon is not directed to children, and you may not use Patreon if you are under the age of 13. You must also be old enough to consent to the processing of your personal data in your country (in some countries we may allow your parent or guardian to do so on your behalf). You must be at least 18 years old or have your parent’s or legal guardian’s permission to have a creator page on Patreon or to purchase an offering or subscription on Patreon.

Additionally, you must be at least 18 years old to:

• Subscribe to an Adult/18+ creator or purchase an offering related to such a creator
• Create or share Adult/18+ works
• Create or share modeling, “posing”, or similar works that center on your appearance or body

You must comply with, and may not attempt to circumvent, any measures that Patreon has put in place to assure your age and/or eligibility to view certain material.

Patreon is committed to keeping the platform safe for teen users and free of material or behavior that puts young people at risk. We enforce a zero tolerance policy for content or accounts that exploit, endanger, or harm minors. We report incidents of minor sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, solicitation, sextortion, and grooming to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). 

Zero tolerance policy

Patreon has zero tolerance for real or animated Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) or other exploitative material depicting sexualized minors, regardless of how the works were created (e.g., hand-drawn, cartoon, text-based, hyperrealistic, AI or digitally-generated, among others). Exploitative behaviors such as grooming, solicitation, or sexualization of minors are also prohibited. Any Patreon user involved in attempts to harm or exploit minors will be removed and reported to appropriate authorities.

Age restrictions for works

• Creator pages dedicated to or solely focused on minors under the age of 13 are not permitted.
  • Creator pages that focus on parenting relationships or family units as a whole are generally permitted so long as they are not dedicated to minor subjects under the age of 13, specifically, and so long as they comply with Patreon’s other guidelines.
• Adult/18+ creator pages that host imagery of real individuals in states of sexualized nudity are not permitted to also host imagery of real minors on the same creator page.
• When creating Adult/18+ works, including animated or illustrated works, the physical appearance and characteristics of subjects must be unmistakably interpreted to be adults and not minors. We take several factors into account when making this determination, including but not limited to:
  • Physical development and physical features of the subject
  • Context provided with the imagery (e.g. title, description, tags, etc.)
  • Material objects or settings traditionally associated with specific minor age ranges (e.g. school settings, bottles/rattles, cribs, etc.)

Adults misrepresenting as minors

Creators 18 and older are prohibited from using Patreon to produce or distribute any type of works featuring sexualized portrayals of themselves as minors, implicitly or explicitly. This includes but is not limited to doing the following in sexualized works:

• Stating or implying that you are a minor
• Digitally altering your face or body to appear like a minor
• Role-play in which you pretend to be a minor

Tools & resources Teen creators who encounter abusive, harmful, or toxic behavior on Patreon can use our blocking and reporting tools. Additionally, Patreon partners with world-class organizations specializing in protecting minors online, such as The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Thorn, and the Tech Coalition.

If you come across a violation of Patreon’s Teen Safety guidelines, please report it.

This community deserves a welcoming environment free of disturbing depictions of suffering for gratuitous shock value.

To protect users from shocking or disturbing imagery, Patreon does not permit violent or graphic works, including the glorification of real-world violence or suffering. This policy applies to works featuring real humans as well as hyperrealistic representations of a human, regardless of how the works were created. Criteria to distinguish hyperrealistic from animated or illustrated depictions of humans include: Anatomical consistency with human features (i.e. not part-robot or part-animal), mimicking natural lighting and movement, detailed texture (e.g. skin pores, wrinkles, individual eyelashes, lifelike shadows), and composition (e.g. three-dimensional, high-resolution, with intricate backgrounds and foregrounds). Works deviating from reality in terms of visual representation (such as animations or illustrations) may possess elements of graphic violence as long as the violence is not glorified and the work complies with our other guidelines. If you believe someone is in imminent danger, please report the situation to local law enforcement immediately.

Prohibited works include, but are not limited to:

• Glorification of violence: Depictions, promotions, or celebrations of violent actions or actors. Examples include, but are not limited to praiseful or sadistic remarks about violent or disturbing works, encouraging others to engage or participate in violence, or showcasing footage of a violent or deadly attack.
• Human abuse: Works glorifying the infliction or aftermath of physical, emotional, psychological, or sexual harm on a person or group leading to suffering, pain, or death. Examples include, but are not limited to non-medical depictions of body parts or fluids, charred bodies, dismemberment, footage recorded during a violent or deadly attack, domestic or intimate partner violence, mass violence, or other physical abuse or torture.
• Animal abuse: Works glorifying the infliction or aftermath of physical, emotional, psychological or sexual harm on an animal or animals leading to suffering, pain, or death. Examples include, but are not limited to animal neglect, mistreatment, or cruelty, staged animal fights, the trafficking of livestock or animal parts, or depictions of animal slaughter outside traditional or standard practices (e.g. food preparation, lawful hunting, the practice of organized religion).

Permitted works include, but are not limited to:

• Fictional or dramatized works that do not glorify the violence and are accompanied by context or a statement informing viewers that the footage is not real.
• Documented or narrated storytelling such as True Crime podcasts, documentaries, or academic or historical research.
• Violence in an animated or simulated context (e.g. video games, comics, graphic novels in which the violence is not hyperrealistic).
• Testimonials or storytelling from survivors or victims of violence.
• Depictions of body parts in a medical, educational, or scientific context (e.g. post-surgery recovery, stitches, minor bruises, vaccinations, childbirth, sexual health).
• Violent or graphic imagery to raise awareness in a documentary or journalistic context (e.g. human rights abuses, armed conflicts, acts of terrorism).
• Imagery related to bodily piercings or tattoo art.

If you come across a violation of Patreon’s Violent and Graphic Works guidelines, please report it.