Mu is an organization that advocates for proper understanding and destigmatization of minor-attracted people (MAPs).

In an article published by The Guardian, IWF Chief Executive Susie Hargreaves claimed that "generative AI tools provide a playground for online predators to realise their most perverse and sickening fantasies."

There are a number of problems with the claims made in the article, most notably the labeling of MAPs who have never preyed on young people as 'predators', and calling their feelings 'perverse' and 'sickening'.

There are a significant number of men attracted to those under 18, and the vast majority of these men do not 'prey' on young people. There is no way of converting a minor-attracted person to a 'regular' sexual orientation, and getting support from professionals is almost impossible due to the massive stigma and threat of being outed to others.

The overwhelming majority of MAPs do not wish to cause harm to anyone. The use of AI images that do not depict real young people is a measure taken by many MAPs who seek an ethical form of sexual release. Our discussions with MAPs familiar with the matter suggest that the IWF are either lying about or misunderstanding how the images are created.

Our understanding is that AI 'models' created by MAPs to produce AI images are not intended to make deepfakes of real minors, as claimed by the IWF. Instead, they are used to make recreations of a young person's body more realistic, because standard AI models are not trained on nude images of under-18s. While these models are trained on nude images of young people that could be illegal under the UK's extremely broad laws, the AI images generated would not represent a likeness of a real person's face unless specifically intended. Making AI images this way discourages producers from making more images with real people, which helps to protect young people.

Mu is seriously concerned about the way that countries like the UK seek to criminalize absolutely every possible avenue of sexual release for MAPs, allow their representatives to spew hateful comments about MAPs regardless of whether or not they have harmed a real young person, and offer absolutely no kind of mental health support to those who are suffering severely from the stigma.

Mu believes that MAPs are in no way inherently dangerous. However, when people's options are restricted, they become desperate and there is a risk of violence and other harmful behaviors. Mu worries that such a trend could lead some MAPs to engage in dangerous, or event violent reaction as a result of their feeling of helplessness. Susie Hargreaves and the IWF should be condemned for their hateful and misleading comments that not only increase the risk of harm to MAPs, but to the wider public.

Please feel free to discuss this article on our forum thread.

Published by The Mu Committee