Concerning trends at AO3 that parents should be aware of

[Anonymous]

If your teen reads or writes fanfiction on AO3, monitor their interactions with adults on the site who identify themselves as proshippers.

[Anonymous]

No idea what AO3 is.

[Anonymous]

Archive of Our Own. It’s a site for fanfiction. Recently taken over by predatory adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Archive of Our Own. It’s a site for fanfiction. Recently taken over by predatory adults.

That is truly disturbing to hear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Archive of Our Own. It’s a site for fanfiction. Recently taken over by predatory adults.

Is Anthony Weiner posting on their now?

[Anonymous]

Disgusting

[Anonymous]

I've monitored my niece's account (she's asked me to proofread fics she's written). She's 16. I have complete access to her account because the format for uploading fics is weird so I help her with it. There hasn't been anything concerning. Is there a specific fandom you've noticed this in?

[Anonymous]

Source? What type of behavior? Or is it the story content you’re worried about?

It has a governing board, so I’m not sure what you mean by “taken over.” If you see something that violates their terms of service, report it. They’ll be on it.

People are responsible for their own media consumption and that of their children. If you don’t want your teen reading a certain type of story or a certain type of content and you can’t trust them to abide by your rules, they shouldn’t be on AO3. There are fansites that don’t allow adult content they should use instead.

(Also, watch out for the public library, as many of us were reading sexual content in Harlequin novels, Danielle Steele, Stephen King, Anne Rice, and VC Andrews books by middle school.)

People who enjoy writing/reading fictional content you don’t like =/= predatory. Now, if there’s actual predatory behavior happening, as I said— report it.

[Anonymous]

I thought AO3 was mainly adult ladies (ahem like me) scratching an itch. Who are these predators?

[Anonymous]

Isn’t Eliot Spitzer active on that site?

[Anonymous]

Thankfully my teen doesn’t do that crap. No time what with all honors classes and activities.

[Anonymous]

That site makes Literotica look tame.

[Anonymous]

Weirdo site

[Anonymous]

Yeah my teen got addicted to hard core kinky erotica by reading fanfics on that site. I’ve since blocked it, but it’s too late, she’s addicted and seeks that crap elsewhere. She’s also an honors students with a ton of academic activities, but she spends late nights reading some seriously disturbing stuff. Never interacting with people on the site, but the fanfics themselves are very very dark.

[Anonymous]

Or talk to your teen about how to deal with adults online, information to give out, at what point something said crosses a line and it's time to block/report them, etc. Empower your teen to handle themselves.