In the hills above Los Angeles, Stella Barey combines her lunch break with content creation in the most unconventional way. The 28-year-old, known online as the "Anal Princess," films explicit videos during hiking trails, capturing moments that would be banned on mainstream platforms. But this isn't just another adult performer's routine - Barey is the co-founder of Hidden, a new platform designed to revolutionise how Generation Z creates and consumes pornography.
The Burnout Problem in Modern Sex Work
When Barey entered the adult industry full-time in 2020, she never anticipated spending most days hunched over flow charts and pitch decks rather than creating content. Her OnlyFans earnings peaked at $285,000 per month in 2022, but the constant pressure of self-promotion on hostile social media platforms and relentless direct messaging took its toll.
"You can't be spending your entire day making content, promoting it on socials, and also be on your account selling to fans 24/7," Barey explains. "It's unsustainable." Her experience reflects a broader crisis in the industry, where 70% of her income came from time-consuming manual engagement with subscribers.
The situation worsened as platforms like TikTok and Instagram cracked down on sexual content following 2018 federal legislation that made websites liable for material linked to sex trafficking. Adult creators found themselves shadowbanned, deleted and demonetized without warning, forcing them to develop elaborate workarounds including "algospeak" and burner accounts.
Hidden's Solution to Creator Exploitation
Launched on 12th April 2024, Hidden represents a fundamental shift in how adult platforms operate. The site takes just 18% of creators' earnings compared to OnlyFans' 20%, but the real innovation lies in its approach to passive income.
The platform features a TikTok-style "For You" page and built-in stores where fans can purchase existing content, allowing creators to earn without constant filming or messaging. Hidden has already registered over 113,000 users spending an average of $53 each, with more than 2,100 active creators - predominantly Gen Z women.
For Philadelphia-based creator Leila Lewis, who earns over $30,000 monthly on OnlyFans, the appeal was immediate. "Everyone is getting sick of the OnlyFans model. We're exhausted and burnt out," she says. "You can't do fisting or pee content on OnlyFans - that's why I love Hidden, because they just let you do pretty much anything."
Gen Z's Complicated Relationship with Porn
Hidden arrives during a paradoxical moment for pornography, particularly among younger audiences. Nearly two-thirds of men under 25 support restricting online pornography access according to the American Survey Center's 2025 report, reflecting growing conservative trends.
Yet simultaneously, Kinsey Institute research identifies Gen Z as the most kink-friendly generation on record. This contradiction defines the modern landscape: young people report less sexual activity than previous generations but demonstrate unprecedented openness to diverse sexual expressions.
Internet porn historian Noelle Perdue observes: "There is among younger generations this resentment towards the concept of mainstream pornography, but they are also genuinely curious about their sexuality."
The platform also emerges as political threats loom. The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 has called for outlawing pornography entirely, while age-verification laws in both the US and UK threaten to slash sex workers' incomes by requiring government ID uploads for access.
The Future of Ethical Adult Content
Barey oversees a 40-person team developing innovative features including a takedown bot to combat content leaks and AI tools for personalised clips that protect performers' likeness. Her most ambitious plan involves handling payments directly rather than relying on third-party processors - a revolutionary move that could dramatically reduce fees.
"At the end of the day, Hidden is more than porn," Barey insists. "It's a political statement" - and one of the few sex worker-founded companies hosting adult content today. Her vision extends beyond profit to creating sustainable careers in an industry often dismissed as "slop."
As Barey's pickup truck speeds away from another hiking trail content session, she embodies the platform's central promise: that sex workers can maintain their creative passion while building a business that doesn't consume their entire lives. In an industry at a crossroads, Hidden represents both a practical solution and ideological challenge to how we think about sex work in the digital age.
