Controversial internet personality Lil Tay has ignited fierce backlash after revealing she earned over £800,000 ($1 million) within three hours of launching her OnlyFans account, which she created moments after turning 18 on 29 July.
The former child star, whose real name is Tay Tian, wasted no time monetising her coming of age, dropping the OnlyFans link to her 5.7 million Instagram followers just after midnight on her landmark birthday. Within two hours, she claimed to have amassed 100,000 subscribers.
By the third hour, the 18-year-old boasted earnings of £816,000 ($1,024,298), posting a screenshot showing £410,000 ($511,003) from subscriptions, £388,000 ($486,558) from private messages, and £21,000 ($26,736) from tips. “$1M in 3 hours. We broke the f*ck out of that OnlyFans record,” she celebrated on Instagram.
‘Freshly 18’ Marketing Sparks Disgust
The teenager’s marketing approach has drawn particular criticism, with her account bio reading “Please don’t tell my mom” and describing her content as “freshly 18” material. She claimed all content was filmed at exactly 12:01am on her birthday, emphasising the timing to potential subscribers.
“Imagine dudes counting down the minutes till she hit 18 just to sub… y’all need help fr,” one social media user commented. Another wrote: “Sold her soul the second she turned 18… sad asf.”
The backlash extended to those who subscribed, with critics arguing that adults who had watched Lil Tay grow up online since she was nine years old rushing to purchase adult content the moment she turned 18 represented a disturbing pattern.
“You’ve been watching her since she was a child, and the second she turns 18, you’re throwing money at her?” one disgusted follower wrote.
Weeks of Public Debate
The launch followed weeks of public speculation after Lil Tay conducted a “vote” on whether she should join OnlyFans, tagging conservative commentators and YouTubers in her posts. While specific responses from those tagged weren’t verified, the move generated significant debate about young influencers transitioning to adult content platforms.
During a TikTok Live session on 2 August, Lil Tay revealed she had already filmed content and claimed multiple adult entertainment companies had offered her contracts worth “30 to 40 Ms” (£24-32 million), which she rejected. “Why would I need you, though? I am the bag. I don’t need you to give me a bag,” she said.
When asked if joining OnlyFans could harm her future, she responded: “I don’t think 50 mil is gonna ruin my life.”
Family Opposition Captured on Livestream
The controversial decision appeared to cause family tensions, with her brother Jason Tian interrupting her livestream announcement. “No, get the fck off live… This is a Chinese household. You’re not fcking dropping no f*cking link,” he was heard saying before the stream ended.
Jason Tian had previously been involved in managing his sister’s career and was caught on camera in 2018 coaching her in videos, raising long-standing concerns about family dynamics and potential exploitation.
Comparisons to Bhad Bhabie’s Record
Lil Tay’s earnings claims echo those of rapper Bhad Bhabie (Danielle Bregoli), who famously joined OnlyFans six days after her 18th birthday in April 2021 and claimed to have earned £800,000 ($1 million) within six hours.
Bhad Bhabie later revealed total earnings of £60 million ($75 million) from the platform, with her first month alone bringing in £14.4 million ($18 million). In a 2022 interview, Bhad Bhabie suggested that subscribers who joined immediately after she turned 18 “should be in jail,” describing them as likely being “20 to 40 years old, probably like a white man who’s married with like six kids—definitely has a daughter my age.”
Troubled Past and Identity Questions
Born Claire Eileen Qi Hope on 29 July 2007, Lil Tay first gained notoriety in 2017 at age nine (while claiming to be nine) through videos featuring profanity and boasts about wealth. Her rise to fame was marked by controversy, including her mother Angela Tian losing her real estate job after using her employer’s properties and cars in videos without permission.
The young star’s career has been plagued by family disputes, with a custody battle between her parents Christopher Hope and Angela Tian playing out publicly. Her social media presence abruptly ended in 2018 amid allegations of exploitation and concerns about who controlled her online persona.
In August 2023, Lil Tay made international headlines when her Instagram account posted a false death announcement claiming both she and her brother had died. She later confirmed to media outlets that her account had been hacked and clarified that her legal name is Tay Tian, not “Claire Hope” as the death hoax had stated.
Medical Drama and Return
Just months before her OnlyFans announcement, in September 2024, Lil Tay’s social media claimed she was in intensive care recovering from open-heart surgery after being diagnosed with a “life-threatening tumor.” Photos from a hospital bed and an echocardiogram were shared, though the claims were never independently verified.
Now, less than a year later, she has returned to social media with what she calls her “comeback,” dismissing critics as “grown ass haters who’ve been hating since I was nine years old.”
Industry Concerns About ‘Countdown Culture’
The controversy has reignited debates about what critics call “countdown culture” – the practice of audiences waiting for young celebrities to reach legal age before consuming adult content. The move reignited debate over “count-down culture”: advocates hailed it as a story of female financial autonomy, while critics warned it normalises audiences who “wait out the clock” for teen influencers to turn 18.
Social media users expressed concern about the pattern, with one commenting: “Grown a** men waited for this child to turn 18. That’s just disgusting. This girl has been exploited her whole life.”
Mental health advocates have raised concerns about young influencers who grew up in the public eye transitioning to adult content platforms immediately upon reaching legal age, questioning the long-term psychological impact and whether true consent is possible given their history of public exposure since childhood.
Platform’s Role Under Scrutiny
OnlyFans, which allows creators to share exclusive content with paying subscribers, has faced criticism for its role in facilitating these rapid transitions from child celebrity to adult content creator. The platform operates on a subscription model with additional revenue streams through tips and pay-per-view messages.
While OnlyFans has age verification processes in place, critics argue more safeguards are needed to protect young creators who may be vulnerable to exploitation or making decisions they might later regret.
The Lil Tay controversy follows a pattern of young internet celebrities monetising their fame through adult platforms immediately after turning 18, raising ethical questions about audience responsibility, platform accountability, and the exploitation of parasocial relationships formed during childhood fame.
As debates continue online, Lil Tay appears unbothered by the backlash, posting: “You can hate on me all you want, you can’t say Lil Tay ain’t winning.”
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