Will my teenager look at pornography on his/her smartphone?

By Extension Assistant Professor, Jonathan Swinton

Response:

Most people struggling with pornography addictions later in life were first exposed when they were 10-13 years of age, and the addictions set quickly. Sadly, 12-17-year-old teens are the largest group of internet pornography viewers in America (Safefamilies.org, n.d.). This is the time in a child’s life that parents should be extremely careful. Unlimited access to the internet is setting teens up for failure because their brains have not sufficiently developed as needed to control the impulses and sexual urges that will lead them too easily to experimentation with pornography. Pornography use in teenage years has been associated with problems related to relationships, gender attitudes, and sexual behavior (Lerza, 2018).

While owning a smartphone may be the norm for most teens these days, that doesn’t mean it is a good idea. Smartphones are the primary source that teens utilize to view pornography. Technology has progressed faster than society has figured out how to deal with the collateral damage such as pornography addictions. If parents assume a teen will not look at pornography, they are likely making a mistake. Nationally, 93% of boys and 62% of girls will have viewed pornography by the age of 18 (Sabina et al., 2018). Relate these statistics to the disturbing stats showing that Utah has more pornography usage than any other state in the country (Edelman, 2009). This means most of our kids will view pornography as teens.

Tips/Ways to Help

Consider a flip phone

Parents should think twice before giving a teenager a smartphone. Flip phones are always available through phone carriers and they can still make calls and send texts.  Flip phones may not be cool, but they are safer. Having the smartphone next to their bed or in their pocket is like handing a toddler a chocolate bar and telling them not to eat it. They just don’t have the capacity to manage it. We need to help them stay out of their own way.

Limit access to smartphones and computers at night

Pornography viewing is done most often late at night or when teens are alone in the bathroom – and almost always on a teen’s personal smartphone or computer (Atwood, 2017; Douillard, 2017). These are times when teens should not have access to a smartphone or computer. Period. If you feel comfortable giving them a smartphone or their own computer, keep all the family devices in a public location after a certain time of the day. It would be good for the adults too.

Open a dialogue with your kids

Lastly, parents should open a regular dialogue with their children starting by age 10 about pornography. Don’t simply tell them not to look or use fear tactics. Rather, educate them on the realities of the urges and curiosity that naturally come to bodies through hormones and puberty. It may feel uncomfortable, but if you make it comfortable to discuss early, they are more likely to come to you for help on this issue down the road. If they do struggle with pornography, don’t shame them. Put your arm around them and help them feel loved and supported in their efforts to overcome the struggle.

Additional Resources

• https://www.verywellmind.com/breaking-pornography-addictions-1270612
• https://www.utdallas.edu/counseling/pornaddiction/
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/pornography

References

• Atwood, R. (2017). The relationship between adolescents’ use of Internet-enabled mobile devices and engaging in problematic digital behaviors [ProQuest Information & Learning]. In Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences (Vol. 77, Issue 9–A(E)).
• Edelman, B. (2009). Markets: Red light states: Who buys online adult entertainment? Journal of Economic Perspectives, 23(1), 209-220. Retrieved from www.jstor.org/stable/27648301
• Douillard, J. (2017). Cell phone addiction in teens is real: Scary statistics & some helpful advice. Elephant Journal. https://www.elephantjournal.com/2017/08/cell-phone-addiction-in-teens-is-real-scary-statistics-some-helpful-advice/
• Hornor, G. (2020). Child and Adolescent Pornography Exposure. Journal of Pediatric Healthcare, 34(2), 191–199. https://doi-org.dist.lib.usu.edu/10.1016/j.pedhc.2019.10.001
• Lerza, A. (2016). Adolescents and pornography: A generation of disconnection and addiction. Counselor: The Magazine for Addiction Professionals, April 2018, 22-26.
• Sabina, C., Wolak, J., Finkelhor, D. (2008). The nature and dynamics of internet pornography exposure for youth. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 11, 691–693. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2007.0179
• Safefamilies.org (n.d.) Statistics on pornography, sexual addiction, and online perpetrators. Retrieved July 6, 2020, from http://www.safefamilies.org/sfStats.php