A: Only if you trust your friend's tech literacy. Do a quick check: Does the URL look suspicious (e.g., ao3-mirror.xyz )? Does the page look "off"? Does it ask for a login? If yes to any, do not proceed.

(Direct link through the parent organization) ao3.org (Shortened redirect) archiveofourown.com (Redirect) archiveofourown.net (Redirect) How to Access AO3 When the Site is Down

This paper examines Archive of Our Own (AO3) mirror links: what they are, common motivations for using them, technical and legal risks, detection challenges, and best-practice recommendations for users, site operators, and researchers. The aim is practical guidance to help readers evaluate mirror links and reduce harm while preserving access to fandom archives.

– Often the most reliable "official" alternative.

: Despite the name, this is an official mirror that can sometimes bypass specific types of network filters. Redirects vs. Mirrors It is important to distinguish between : Addresses like archiveofourown.com archiveofourown.net simply point back to the main archiveofourown.org

Have you found a legitimate mirror link in the past? Share your experience in the comments on r/AO3 (but please, don't post sketchy URLs).

The following links are recognized as official or safe alternatives for accessing AO3: