In July 2012, a Reddit user posted a question on the popular subreddit. The question was deceptively simple, yet it would go on to spark a media firestorm: "Reddit's had a few threads about sexual assault victims, but are there any redditors from the other side of the story? What were your motivations? Do you regret it?"
Under immense public pressure, the moderators of r/AskReddit eventually deleted the entire thread, wiping thousands of confessions and discussions from public view. The Lasting Legacy on Internet Culture Ask A Rapist Thread Reddit
Victims of sexual assault browsing the website were suddenly confronted with explicit, first-person accounts of abuse without any content warnings. Mental health advocates and users slammed the platform for creating an unsafe and deeply triggering environment. The Intervention In July 2012, a Reddit user posted a
The "Ask A Rapist Thread" raises several concerns: Do you regret it