This article is outdated and many things in here are no longer relevant. It’s included here for archival purposes.

A MAP’s Guide to Twitter

Twitter is a social network that is used for quickly disseminating news and ideas as well as conversing with others around the world, in a public timeline format of brief posts. Many MAPs have joined Twitter and use it as a place for discussion, and to network with other MAPs, researchers, and the non-MAP public. I’m writing this post to help MAPs learn how to use Twitter effectively and safely. I write this assuming you have a basic understanding of Twitter and/or social networking in general. Feel free to contribute ideas to this thread, and this post will be updated as needed.

Twitter has affirmed in their rules that Minor Attracted People are allowed to use the service, and allowed to discuss their orientation:

Discussions related to child sexual exploitation as a phenomenon or attraction towards minors are permitted, provided they don’t promote or glorify child sexual exploitation in any way. Artistic depictions of nude minors in a non-sexualized context or setting may be permitted in a limited number of scenarios e.g., works by internationally renowned artists that feature minors.

EDIT: Twitter has since changed their policy, and no longer allows minor attraction to be described as an orientation or an identity.

Hashtags and terms you will find:

#MAP: Minor Attracted Person. It means just that. You will however find some antis, and even MAPs who try to twist the meaning to say that it means a pro-contact MAP.

#NOMAP: Non-Offending Minor Attracted Person.

Anti-Contact MAP: MAPs who believe sexual and romantic relationships with children are inherently wrong. Many Anti-Contact MAPs are hostile to MAPs who are not Anti-Contact.

Pro-Contact MAP: MAPs who believe sexual and romantic relationships with children are not inherently wrong. This doesn’t mean they act illegally or immorally.

FoC: Freedom of Choice MAP: MAPs who believe everyone should have the right to choose who, how, and to what extent then wish to engage in a relationship, regardless of age. This doesn’t mean they act illegally or immorally.

#AntiMAP or #AntiPedo: People who are hostile toward MAPs. Some will argue respectfully, while others will hurl insults and accuse you of offending.

#MAPPositivity: A hashtag created for sharing uplifting messages to MAPs who are dealing with depression. Unfortunately, this hashtag is often hijacked by antis who post hateful messages to us.

CSEM: Child Sexual Exploitation Material. Many in the community use this acronym rather than the words “child pornography.” We interact with abuse survivors (some also MAPs), and they ask that we use this term.

How to find other MAPs on Twitter:

Search the hashtags #MAP #NOMAP #MAPPositivity. Look for people who consistently post pro-MAP rhetoric. Also check their Likes, Followers, and Following, to see if there’s other pro-MAP people. If you see they are posting AntiMAP content, or follow/followed by pedo hunters, it’s likely a trap.

Make posts using the hashtags #MAP #NOMAP #MAPPositivity. Other MAPs will find you. Also beware that antis will find you as well.

A good place to start when looking for MAPs is finding @ToddNickerson1. He is an out MAP who is well known in the community. He follows and is followed by many other MAPs, and is generally friendly to everyone, regardless of ideology.

Suggested Safety Guidelines:

These are only suggestions, so you are free to follow as many or as few of these as you wish.

Unless you are out to the world as a MAP, do not share personal information on Twitter. This includes your name, pictures, location, physical description etc.

Do not talk about events that are local to you. This can narrow down your approximate location, and make it easier for antis to out you.

Do not post about current weather events. The nature of Twitter’s rapid dissemination of news can make it easy for people to find out your location, just by searching current weather warnings.

It’s ok to change minor details of your posts to protect your identity. Just be honest in your beliefs and underlying message.

Be careful clicking links, especially if they arrive in your Twitter DMs. Twitter attempts to resolve URL shorteners, and provides previews to mainstream sites (like Youtube videos, and major news sites). If you get a link to a site you haven’t heard of, from someone you don’t know, use caution when clicking the link. It could lead to a site with an IP tracker, which can be used to narrow down your approximate location.

You will encounter minors who are also MAPs. Most of them are legitimate. They will not solicit you for sexual encounters. If someone claiming to be a minor is soliciting sexual encounters, it is likely a trap from a pedo hunter or law enforcement. If you see that kind of activity, it is best to report it to Twitter, and do not engage with them. Block them if they engage you.

General MAP Twitter Etiquette and Best Practices:

Do not post pictures and videos of kids for the sake of sexualizing them. It is ok to retweet pics and videos of kids from news and mainstream outlets. Also, do not make sexual comments about children. All of this will attract hate from antis and other MAPs alike. Twitter is a public site. Many children would be appalled to find their pictures and videos being shared with sexualizing comments. If you feel compelled to make these comments, do so in private chats.

As a MAP, it’s irresponsible to make and share lists of other MAPs on Twitter. Especially if you are doing it because you disagree with their position. That is anti behavior, and it’s not welcome. We are all MAPs, and we’re all on the same team. Unless you have reason to believe someone is hurting children, do not throw other MAPs under the bus.

It’s often best not to discuss MAP ideologies (pro/anti contact, FoC) in great detail. It tends to cause unneeded arguments.

There are many people in the community, or others with whom we interact that are childhood sexual assault survivors. Please be sensitive to their trauma. Many of them take offense to words such as “diddle,” “child porn,” “kiddie porn,” or explicit sexual language when discussing children.

Miscellaneous:

You will find other MAPs who are not in agreement that minor attraction is an orientation. Some believe it is a paraphilia. Others believe it is a mental illness.

You will find that people with other paraphilias/orientations are likely to be sympathetic and allies to MAPs. There seems to be a large number of zoophiles, and a few necrophiles who are also MAPs or are sympathetic. Just like MAPs, they didn’t choose their attraction, and most don’t act illegally or immorally.