independent manga website DLsite , recently announced the suspension of the use of American Express on its platform. This measure adds to the restrictions previously announced for MasterCard and VISA earlier this month. The decision to suspend these payment options was apparently made due to these financial companies' refusal to associate themselves with the +18 content distributed on DLsite.
- Solo Leveling breaks record with 200,000 reviews on Crunchyroll
- Anime leaks impact the April 2024 season – Check out the list
It's important to note that the DLsite website had attempted to alleviate this situation by altering the terms of certain popular hentai doujinshi genres, such as "l0lis" and others, in an attempt to appease pressure from financial companies. However, these measures did not achieve the desired result, leading the platform to lose these services.
Furthermore, a week ago, DLsite notified its creators that it would replace or hide certain expressions used on the platform in response to requests from credit card companies. DLsite decided to comply with the request, as more than half of the transactions on its platform were made with credit cards. The decision only reached creators registered on the site, but it quickly attracted attention on social media due to the sarcastic nature of the implemented "censorship.".
This new restriction prevents foreign fans who wish to purchase content on the DLsite from using bank cards issued outside of Japan, representing a significant obstacle for them.
This latest development highlights the tactics used by multinational corporations to try and control the doujinshi industry and adult content in general. The doujinshi community has been debating the pressure these financial entities exert on adult content platforms, as this directly affects the availability and accessibility of content for consumers.
The situation at DLsite highlights the complexity of the relationship between creative freedom and censorship, as well as the challenges faced by adult content platforms. The suspension of American Express cards underscores the importance of this issue in the doujinshi industry and its implications for creators and consumers of this content.
DLsite is not the only platform with problems hosting +18 manga content; similar cases have occurred with DMM, Fanza, Niconico, and Skeb.
Finally, the commission service Skeb introduced payment via its own cryptocurrency, Skeb Coin, in June 2022.
Source: Official Website