CYBERSPACE—Subscription site MintStars has unveiled a new co-ownership model that will “give creators a meaningful financial stake in the platform,” a company rep said.
Co-founder Jessica Van Meir announced she is donating her shares to establish a 20 percent creator ownership pool. The remaining three percent of her shares will be donated to non-profit SWOP Behind Bars, a national grassroots social justice network dedicated to the fundamental human rights of sex workers, victims of trafficking and their communities.
“The new model will allocate ownership to creators based on their contributions to the platform, including revenue, referrals and activity,” the rep explained. “Creators will receive points that correspond to ‘phantom shares,’ giving them the right to benefit financially if MintStars generates dividends or is sold, without upfront costs or tax burdens.”
The system will launch in the coming weeks with points awarded retroactively to reflect past participation. The program will launch in July.
"I'm extremely proud that MintStars will become the first adult content platform co-owned by the sex workers who use it. The adult industry has always been at the forefront of innovation in the economy, and I hope this step will create a new and more ethical economic model not only for the adult industry, but for all industries. All workers should have ownership in the companies that they help build," Van Meir said.
“SWOP Behind Bars is proud to join in partnership with MintStars. Their dedication to community ownership of labor aligns perfectly with SWOP’s decade-long work to establish and maintain that same stake in advocacy and services,“ said a SWOP representative.
In addition to the financial changes, MintStars will also introduce new governance measures to “elevate creator voices,” including a Creator Advisory Board and the transfer of voting rights tied to Van Meir’s shares to SWOP Behind Bars.
As part of the transition, Van Meir will step down from her role as director to focus on research and activism. Van Meir is a long-term activist for sex workers’ rights and a PhD candidate at Harvard.
The MintStars team will now be led by activist and performer Allie Eve Knox.
For more information, visit MintStars.com.
