On the whole, fanfiction is a very content-aware space, which is good because it handles a lot of sensitive content, from mental health ideation to sexual content.

 

It is very rare to stumble across trauma you weren’t warned about.  This gives readers a chance to knowingly consent to what they are getting into and avoid anything that might be retraumatizing for them.

 

Many authors take special note of any potential troubling content in their author’s notes, or tell readers there’s a list in the endnotes to avoid spoilers.

​

“Other content warnings for canon-level violence and injuries, vomiting, teenagers in peril,

and the implied Winter Soldier trauma umbrella.”

(Part of an author’s note by galwednesday)

 

An Archive of Our Own has formalized this community norm, by implementing mandatory Rating and Archive Warning tags.  

 

Ratings are similar to movie ratings, and range from General Audiences (Gen) to Explicit.

 

Archive Warnings require a little more explanation.  

 

AO3 requires creators to warn for a short list of types of content:  Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, and Underage.

 

**  Underage refers to on-page, usually detailed, depictions of sexual activity involving one or more characters younger than 18. Applies to a wide range of content, ranging from two 17-year-olds getting frisky to childhood sexual assault.

 

Creators may also choose to not warn for those, but they must then choose either “Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings,” which means some of the warnings may apply but they don’t want to use them (usually to avoid spoilers), or “No Archive Warnings Apply,” which is what it says on the tin.  

Either way, readers are always aware of at least the potential of that particular list of traumas.