Legal Matters
Here is a summary of help related to legal compliance, content regulations, and account suspensions.
Content Regulations
What is "Video Transmission-Type Sex-Related Special Business"?
It is a type of business defined under the Act on Regulation of Adult Entertainment Businesses (Fueiho), referring to businesses that distribute sexual content over the internet. This service has filed the required registration and operates in compliance with the law.
Do individual creators also need to register?
Creators who primarily (roughly 70-80% or more) distribute adult content may need to file their own "Video Transmission-Type Sex-Related Special Business" registration. This is separate from SMFans' platform registration and is the responsibility of the individual creator.
Registration must be filed at least 10 days before starting operations at the police station (Public Safety Division) with jurisdiction over your office location. If you are unsure whether registration is required, please consult a professional such as a certified administrative scrivener.
Operating without the required registration may result in imprisonment of up to 6 months or a fine of up to 1,000,000 yen (Article 52, Adult Entertainment Business Act).
Why is mosaic processing required?
Mosaic processing is required on genitalia to avoid constituting the crime of distribution of obscene materials (Article 175 of the Criminal Code). This is a legal requirement that must be observed for services provided within Japan.
Can content featuring anyone under 18 be posted?
No, absolutely not. Content featuring anyone under 18 (even non-sexual content) is strictly prohibited by law. Violations will result in immediate account suspension and may lead to legal action.
How is performer consent verified?
Creators are required to obtain written or digital consent from all performers and retain the evidence. If requested by the platform, this evidence must be promptly submitted.
Account Suspension
What leads to account suspension?
Accounts are suspended when a serious violation of the Terms of Service is confirmed. Common reasons include:
- Posting illegal content (child pornography, content featuring minors, etc.)
- Copyright or personality rights infringement
- Insufficient mosaic processing (repeated violations)
- Content without performer consent
- Fraudulent payment activity (chargebacks, etc.)
- Other serious violations of the Terms of Service
What happens when an account is suspended?
Account suspension is a reversible measure designed to allow recovery from misoperations. Your data is retained, and after the suspension is lifted everything returns to its original state.
| Item | Action |
|---|---|
| Account | Cannot log in / all features blocked |
| Subscribers' monthly plans | Auto-renewal stops; plan status becomes "Canceled" at the end of the paid period |
| Purchased content | Immediately inaccessible (individual / back-issue / monthly-plan purchases all lose viewing rights, as this is a Terms violation and outside protection) |
| Confirmed earnings | Retained in the earnings balance (payout can be requested after suspension is lifted) |
| Pending payout requests | Kept as pending (processing is paused while the suspension is active) |
| Auto top-up (as a subscriber) | Settings are retained (active again once the suspension is lifted) |
I want to appeal my account suspension
Please contact Support from the email address registered with your account. We will review your appeal and respond.
Appeal window: please contact us within 14 days of receiving the suspension notice. Appeals submitted within this window are reviewed with priority.
Suspension duration and final outcome
Account suspension is a period for investigation and appeal. In principle, an outcome is determined within 90 days, falling into one of the following categories:
| Outcome | Action |
|---|---|
| No violation / identified as a mistake | Suspension is lifted and the account is fully restored (content, earnings, and KYC data are all retained) |
| Violation confirmed (minor) | Suspension remains in place, or is lifted with conditions |
| Violation confirmed (severe) | Permanent account deletion (final outcome). Personal information, content, and related data are physically deleted |
Once a final deletion is confirmed, identity documents, profile information, posted content, and DM history are physically deleted and cannot be restored (transaction and revenue history are retained for 7 years to comply with accounting laws).
Violation Response Process
When a Terms of Service violation occurs, the following graduated response is applied:
| Stage | Action |
|---|---|
| Warning (1-3 times) | Notification of the violation and request for improvement. The post is set to private. A warning email is sent |
| Account Suspension | All features blocked (cannot log in). Maintained for up to 90 days for investigation and appeal |
| Final outcome (deletion) | Once a violation is confirmed, the account is physically deleted |
Receiving 3 warnings may result in account suspension.
For serious violations (illegal content, content featuring minors, etc.), immediate account suspension may occur without prior warnings.
For details, see the "Account Suspension" section above. If you have any questions, please contact Support.