BALI – Tia Billinger, a 26-year-old British OnlyFans creator known online as Bonnie Blue, has been deported from Indonesia after a highly publicised arrest in Bali. Immigration officials removed her from the country late on Friday night and placed her on a blacklist that will keep her out of Indonesia for at least 10 years. Authorities say she abused her tourist visa and carried out activities they see as clashing with local values.
Although she was not found guilty of producing pornography, which is a serious crime in Indonesia, her case has sparked anger both locally and abroad. Many critics say she treated Bali’s people and culture as a backdrop for online stunts and attention.
The incident began last week when police in Badung raided a rented studio in Pererenan. Officers detained Billinger and three colleagues, two other Britons and one Australian, and questioned more than a dozen male tourists, most of them young Australian and British holidaymakers.
Police seized cameras, contraceptives, lubricants, and a blue pick-up truck with the slogan “Bonnie Blue Bang Bus” painted across it. The truck, used to carry people in its open back, quickly became the focus of public outrage.
It later led to Billinger being found guilty of traffic offences in the Denpasar District Court on Friday. She received a fine of 200,000 rupiah (about £9 or $12), which she paid straight away to avoid the risk of a one-month jail sentence.
Bali officials strongly condemned the project
Despite early suspicions, investigators did not uncover any pornographic footage. Witnesses described the videos as a type of reality-style entertainment with games and said no explicit sexual acts were filmed.
Even so, Indonesian officials strongly condemned the project. An immigration spokesman said that what they were doing “contained pornographic elements” and reminded foreign visitors that they should “support culture and uphold local wisdom” while in Bali.
Badung Police Chief Arif Batubara said that Billinger and her team had “misused their visas by creating content” while claiming to be tourists on holiday.
Indonesia has some of the strictest anti-pornography rules in Southeast Asia. Act No. 44 of 2008 bans making, sharing, or displaying explicit material. Breaching the law can lead to prison sentences of 12 to 15 years and fines that can exceed £270,000.
Bali is mostly Hindu and attracts millions of foreign visitors every year, but it still falls under national morality laws built on the country’s conservative Islamic base. In recent years, officials have taken a harder line on foreign guests, with several deported for nude photos at temples, disrespectful behaviour at holy sites, and other cultural offences.
Many people saw Billinger’s stunt as a deliberate attempt to spark outrage and go viral. She is already known for shock-style “challenges”, including claims of having sex with more than 1,000 men in a single day and chasing “barely legal” teens during events like Australia’s Schoolies week.
Before arriving in Bali, she promoted a “Bang Bus” tour aimed at young partygoers. Her social media teasers hinted at sexual themes and explicit plans, which drew fast criticism. Residents, including anonymous informants who contacted police, accused her of using Bali as a prop and ignoring its values.
“The Balinese are spiritual people; there is a certain rhythm on the island, and that kind of thing is not for us,” one informant told reporters. “We already have enough problems with tourists here.”
“Disrespectful” to Balinese Hindu culture
The backlash did not come only from Indonesia. Other adult content creators also turned on Billinger, accusing her of damaging the wider industry. Australian OnlyFans creator Annie Knight said she had warned her about the legal risks in Indonesia.
Sophie Rain criticised her for treating adult work “like a prank TV show” and ridiculing it for quick attention.
Online, forums and social feeds are filled with comments slamming her behaviour as “disrespectful” to Balinese Hindu culture and Indonesian norms in general. “What people do behind closed doors is one thing,” said one local commentator, “but promoting it around the world… Bali doesn’t need that kind of publicity.”
As Billinger left Bali under escort, her case highlighted the growing clash between influencer-style content and the values of the countries where it is made. Bali, which hosts millions of visitors each year, has repeatedly urged tourists to dress modestly, respect holy places, and behave with care, especially as locals complain about overtourism and rude behaviour.
Her deportation also comes at a time when OnlyFans is expanding fast and attracting more young women. Since its launch in 2016, the platform has grown to over 4.5 million creators worldwide, with women making up around 84 percent of them.
The user base is mostly young; more than 60 percent of users are between 18 and 34, and estimates suggest that about 55 percent of female creators are aged 20 to 29.
OnlyFans blurs the lines
In the United States alone, around 1.4 million women aged 18 to 45 are thought to run accounts, roughly 2 percent of that age group. Many are drawn to the platform by financial pressure, such as student loans and rising living costs, and by the promise of flexible income.
Globally, the number of OnlyFans creators has jumped in recent years, with company revenue passing $1.3 billion. For some women, the platform offers a sense of control over their work and a chance to earn far more than in regular jobs. Top creators can make millions.
At the same time, critics argue that OnlyFans blurs the lines between private life and work and encourages people to sell intimacy for short-term gain. They also point to risks like leaked content, harassment, and long-term stigma.
Stories of teachers, nurses, students, and office workers joining the platform as a “digital side hustle” show how attitudes to sex work are shifting, yet Billinger’s story shows what can happen when content crosses cultural red lines.
As Bali tightens its stance, her deportation acts as a warning to influencers and adult creators who travel for work. Chasing fame through provocation can bring quick clicks, but it can also end in bans, legal trouble, and damaged reputations.
Indonesian officials have signalled that they will respond even more firmly to the next wave of visitors who ignore local law and custom in search of subscribers and views.
