Teenagers, Pornography, and the Internet: Six Suggestions That Might Work (Free Article)
April 17, 2010
For those who think of pornography as Playboy, there is a culture shock awaiting them. Maybe they can avoid it.
YouTube prohibits pornography. This indicates that there is a supply of amateur pornographers out there who seek video outlets. These outlets are multiplying.
The technological imperative says, "If it can be done, it will be done." There is an equivalent for pornography: "If it can be videoed, it will be videoed." There are exhibitionists out there. They can upload their videos for free. We have never seen anything like this before -- "seen" in both senses. There is no way that society can deal with this except family by family. Laws are close to useless. Child pornography is illegal, and policing it takes the government's anti-pornography resources. Prosecutors are unwilling to take on any more responsibility in this area.
The anti-pornography statutes in the United States are tied to local moral standards. The Web honors no local standards. It has no borders. Control has always been at the retail outlets. The retail outlets are now inside the home.
The authorities could shut down a site's server. In a week, the server would be outside the country. It might not take that long.
Blocking the sites is technically possible, but not without controls that are inconsistent with a free society. It would be the elephant fighting the ants.
The technology has changed. This has changed everything related to control.
This blight is spreading so fast that the commercial pornography industry is suffering losses. One journalist titled her article "Obscene Losses."
Pornography can be addictive for some men. Unlike most other addictions, Web pornography can be indulged in for no money in complete privacy. There are no immediate negative consequences. As with all addictions, the positive sanctions are front-loaded.
For teenage girls, it's even easier. Girls are story-oriented: erotica rather than pornography. Erotica sites are like locusts. It's all anonymous. Pornography sites are not. Someone can identify the participants.
The Web is like having a pusher living at your home. "The first one's free, kid. You'll like it." The second, third, and fourth are also free. They probably will like it.
So, what is a parent to do? Keep teenagers away from computers? This is not easy. Keep them away from the Web? In a day of WiFi?
Here is what I would do.
First, discuss the addiction aspect. Kids are aware of drug addiction. They may know peers who are addicts. But they are unlikely to take seriously pornography addiction. It's seen as harmless. It isn't. To begin researching pornography and addiction, click here. For researching erotica addiction, begin here.
Second, put their computers in a common room. Do not let your teenagers have computers in their rooms if you have WiFi. Simple.
Third, do not let them have iPhones, iPads, and competing Web-access products. Buy them other toys.
Fourth, use site-blocking software. It might help a little.
Fifth, use the browser history function to monitor which sites have been accessed.
Sixth, in the era of the Web, self-government is the only reliable barrier. Work on this. The technological firewalls will not survive systematic undermining
Here is an argument you can use with teenage boys. "If you ever get dependent on pornography to get aroused, will you feel cheated all your life if your wife doesn't look that exciting, which she won't? How fair is that to her?" A wise son will see the connection. (We are not saved by knowledge, however.)
With girls, I don't know. Maybe the same variation. It's easier to read about hunks than marry one. Getting vicariously seduced is not the same as getting permanently loved.
Pretending that the distribution problem does not exist is ridiculous. The technology is universal and getting cheaper. Think "iPad."
Pretending that the word "free" is not compelling is even more ridiculous.
When commercial pornographers don't know what to do to solve this problem, it is a serious problem.