Patreon Updates Community Guidelines: AI and Adult Content Rules Explained
Patreon, the popular platform connecting creators and fans worldwide, has announced proposed updates to its Community Guidelines, reflecting the evolving landscape of online content creation, artificial intelligence, and adult content. These proposed changes aim to maintain a safe and welcoming environment while addressing emerging challenges in digital media.
Patreon conducts annual reviews of its policies, and this year’s revisions are designed to:
Reflect evolving creative tools and technologies
Align with community expectations
Strengthen protections for user safety and privacy
Ensure compliance with industry safety standards
A spokesperson from Patreon explained:
“We continue to update our guidelines in tandem with evolving creative tools, technology, and community expectations…while keeping Patreon safe and welcoming for creators and users.”
Key Changes in the Community Guidelines
1. Modernizing the Introduction
Patreon is updating the opening section of its guidelines to better reflect its role as a media and community platform, while still grounding its policies in:
Human rights
Free expression
Privacy principles
The update aims to make the language more inclusive and representative of the platform’s current creator-fan ecosystem.
2. Addressing AI-Generated Content
With AI increasingly integrated into content creation, Patreon’s proposed guidelines now explicitly tackle AI-related abuse, particularly concerning minors. Key measures include:
Prohibition of AI-generated or digitally altered depictions of minors
Expansion of the harassment section to include non-consensual intimate imagery
Rules covering AI deepfakes, covert recordings, and blackmail
Restrictions on tools or apps that enable image-based abuse
These updates strengthen Patreon’s zero-tolerance policy toward child sexual exploitation and align the platform with industry safety standards.
3. Guidelines for Adult Content
While most content creators may not be impacted, Patreon is introducing more clearly defined rules for adults-only content, including:
Restrictions on digitally altered or AI-created audio in adult material
Clearer language to ensure content remains consensual and safe
Consistency across policies to protect both creators and audiences
Patreon emphasized that these changes are informed by feedback from creator roundtables, ensuring the rules are fair, consistent, and actionable.
Community Feedback and Next Steps
Patreon is seeking input from creators and users before finalizing these updates. Key steps in the process:
Online Policy Discussion: Scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 11 with Patreon’s Policy Team, including VP of Trust & Safety Eric Han
Open Feedback Window: Community members can provide feedback on proposed revisions
Final Implementation: Updates will reflect the collected feedback and safety best practices
Patreon encourages creators to participate in the discussion to shape guidelines that balance safety with creative freedom.
Why These Changes Matter
The rise of AI-generated content and digital manipulation has introduced new risks for creators and fans alike. By updating its policies, Patreon seeks to:
Protect minors and vulnerable users from exploitation
Provide clearer guidance for adult content creators
Ensure that online harassment and non-consensual material are explicitly addressed
Keep the platform aligned with global digital safety standards
As AI continues to evolve, platforms like Patreon are taking proactive steps to maintain a trustworthy creative environment.
How to Participate
Creators and users can join the online policy discussion to ask questions and provide feedback:
Date: Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025
Panel: Members of Patreon’s Policy Team, including VP of Trust & Safety Eric Han
Details: [Patreon Policy Discussion Link]
Community engagement ensures that guidelines are fair, comprehensive, and reflective of creators’ needs.
