Law enforcement faces a conundrum with these threads. Are they first-person confessions of a crime, or protected speech under the First Amendment (in the U.S.)?
Proponents of radical transparency (a minority, but vocal) argue that "Ask a Rapist" threads have informational value. They claim that by understanding the logic (or illogic) of offenders, we can better educate potential victims. Ask A Rapist Thread Reddit
This argument fails for three reasons:
Before dissecting the implications, it is crucial to understand what these threads typically contain. While each iteration varies, a generalized template emerges from archived screenshots and survivor testimonies: Law enforcement faces a conundrum with these threads