Sofia Rivers Says She Owns the Lens Now

The photographer adjusts the ring light one more time while Sofia Rivers checks her phone between takes. It’s a typical Tuesday afternoon shoot in Warsaw — the kind that still raises eyebrows in a country where adult content creation remains largely underground. Rivers, however, isn’t concerned about the whispers. She posts the behind-the-scenes clip to her Instagram story without hesitation, adding to a feed that makes her career choice crystal clear.

“I never pretended to be someone I’m not,” Rivers says about her work in adult entertainment. The 22-year-old performer, who entered the industry at 18 while living in a student dormitory, remains there by choice four years later. Her career includes work on OnlyFans and collaborations with studios like Hentaied, and she’ll discuss it without flinching.

The numbers tell a compelling story about the industry’s explosive growth. Creator accounts on major platforms jumped from around 348,000 in 2019 to 4.1 million by 2023 — a staggering 1,082% increase. By 2024, these platforms host over 210 million registered users and 2.1 million creators, with revenue hitting $1.3 billion last year alone. Yet behind these impressive figures lies a harsh reality: while top performers thrive, the average creator earns just $180 monthly, with the top 0.1% capturing 76% of all revenue.

In Poland, this boom unfolds against a particularly conservative backdrop. Eastern European creators often face more social stigma than their Western counterparts, making Rivers’ openness relatively uncommon. “I entered the industry at 18 and remain in it at 22 by my own choice,” she explained during her appearance on the Świstak podcast earlier this year. “The right to choose and to protect personal boundaries is essential, despite the stigma.”

The path hasn’t been without obstacles. Rivers has faced public criticism from conservative groups, dealt with banking discrimination that many adult performers encounter, and navigated the loss of personal relationships after going public with her career. “There were friends who suddenly stopped answering my messages,” she admits. “Family members who pretended I didn’t exist at gatherings. That’s the price of transparency in this business.”

Beyond personal challenges, the industry itself presents unique difficulties. Content piracy remains rampant, with creators constantly battling unauthorized distribution of their work. Payment processing restrictions limit business options, and the earnings inequality means most creators struggle financially despite the industry’s billion-dollar valuations.

“Sofia understands that modern adult content is about building a sustainable business model,” notes Aleksandra Kowalska, a Warsaw-based photographer who’s worked with several independent creators. “She approaches it professionally — contracts, scheduling, brand consistency. It’s not what people expect from this industry, but it’s becoming more common among successful creators.”

Rivers takes a firm stance on industry ethics, particularly regarding content consumption. “There is nothing wrong with watching free porn from a verified creator,” she stated in a recent AffTimes interview. “However, watching leaked private content is a violation of copyright and supports the shadow porn industry, where models often lose control over their content. I strongly condemn this.”

Her links reflect a business-focused approach, featuring merchandise alongside her content offerings. Rivers frames her career through the lens of agency and control, viewing her work as reclaiming narrative power in an industry where women’s images are often commodified without their input.

“Your job doesn’t define your value,” she states, challenging the stigma surrounding adult work. “Work in the adult industry can be a conscious choice, not necessarily linked to trauma or desperation.” It’s a perspective that directly confronts traditional Polish attitudes about women in the industry.

Currently, Rivers is expanding beyond solo content into collaborative projects with established studios — reflecting broader industry trends where creators diversify revenue streams to combat the platform’s steep earnings inequality. With total creator payouts exceeding $15 billion since these platforms launched, the industry has undeniably created opportunities, even if those opportunities remain unevenly distributed.

Rivers believes that confidence and self-determination are powerful traits — a view that challenges conventional wisdom in conservative Poland. Whether you agree with her career choices or not, her clarity about the industry’s realities, from its financial disparities to its ethical complexities, offers a window into a rapidly evolving digital economy that many prefer to ignore.