Hundreds of social media users were sent into a panic after learning that Project 2025 could lead to pornography being banned, which they determined also meant their beloved fan-fiction sites.
The frenzy began Thursday after one user tweeted, "JUST REALIZED THAT PROJECT 2025 WANTS TO GET RID OF AO3." AO3 refers to Archive of Our Own, which is a popular site where users can both read and write fan-fiction.
JUST REALIZED THAT PROJECT 2025 WANTS TO GET RID OF AO3
— bex⸆⸉!! 💋 9-1-1 SPOILERS (@compheddiediaz) November 7, 2024
The post quickly went viral, sending hundreds of other users into a spiral.
"OH I'M GONNA GET SICK," one user commented. Another wrote, "It's so over."
AO3 has long been a place where people can share their creativity without the barriers that more mainstream platforms can impose.
— divem yadav (@divem2473) November 8, 2024
If these changes are moved forward, it could have a real impact on fan communities and creative freedom.
"AO3 has long been a place where people can share their creativity without the barriers that more mainstream platforms can impose. If these changes are moved forward, it could have a real impact on fan communities and creative freedom," one user tweeted.
if ao3 srsly gets Banned im actually gonna start cryign please the amount of stuff ive worked on and its all just gnna be for nothing pic.twitter.com/XlG40IkDP2
— 𓊆ྀི❤︎𓊇ྀི (@torufrills) November 8, 2024
Social media users believe that fan-fiction sites such as AO3 could be banned as the introduction of Project 2025 mentions the possibility of banning pornography, and states that "firms that facilitate its spread should be shuttered," as reported by The Nation.
"Pornography, manifested today in the omnipresent propagation of transgender ideology and sexualization of children, for instance, is not a political Gordian knot inextricably binding up disparate claims about free speech, property rights, sexual liberation and child welfare. It has no claim to First Amendment protection," the introduction of the conservative manifesto created by the Heritage Foundation reads.
downloading all 807 of my Ao3 bookmarks in case it gets banned pic.twitter.com/JJFv0mnrUn
— Bella☆🧊 (@hayakawalvr) November 7, 2024
While not all fan-fictions qualify as pornographic, many users were worried about how popular the portrayal of LGBTQ+ relationships is on the platform. Dozens shared that upon learning the news, they downloaded all of their favorite reads.
However, others expressed that if Project 2025 does lead to a ban or restrictions on pornography, they thought visual media would be the bigger target.
I wish people would stop doom scaring the masses like this. In terms of free speech, the U.S. does right by upholding that, at least. Ao3 is also a nonprofit and stacked with lawyers who are experts in the law.
— p1пк 👑 (@knivessama) November 8, 2024
Most pornography laws really apply to visual media, anyway. And if… https://t.co/uX7lEutLZn
"Obscene" art and pornography was ruled to be legal within reason by the Supreme Court in 1972. However, some are worried that with the current conservative-leaning bench, this ruling could be reviewed.
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