August 2023: Latest News on the Harms of Pornography

Culture Reframed is the premier science-based, global organization working to stop the emotional, behavioral, and sexual harms of pornography to children and youth. Join our online community to receive updates on our work, announcements of upcoming events, and the latest news related to pornography and youth.

Dear Friends,

For many of us, a new school year is right around the corner or has already begun. With technology more and more prevalent in school and at home, parents have their fair share of worry and anxiety concerning their children’s online safety.

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), children ages 8-12 in the United States spend an average of 4-6 hours a day watching or using screens (smartphones, tablets, televisions, computers, and gaming devices). Teens spend up to 9 hours.

At Culture Reframed, we believe it’s critical for students of all ages to be educated about digital wellness and the potential harms of the internet’s hypersexualized content.

This month’s newsletter highlights the resources you can access on our new website, as well as a roundup of the latest information about the harms of pornography. Our goal is to keep you informed about the impact of porn on kids and what you can do about it.

Free and easily accessible explicit sexual content presents an array of dangers, especially to young people. Our team researched the most current information on the harms of pornography and its negative impact on kids, and they identified common trends — from sophisticated AI pornography to child trafficking on Facebook to serious health consequences for teens viewing excessive pornography.

We’re pleased to share with you the many free, science-backed resources on our new website to help you better understand the impact of porn, especially on children and youth, what to look out for, and how to keep kids safe.

Join Dr. Gail Dines at the JuST Conference

Culture Reframed’s Dr. Gail Dines will present at the JuST Conference, the nation’s leading conference on juvenile sex trafficking, taking place November 1-3 in Washington D.C. In her presentation, Dr. Dines will explore the ways mainstream pornography serves as a grooming tool for boys and men by normalizing children as legitimate targets of male sexual abuse.

New Report Calls Out Social Media Platforms for Undermining Schools, Increasing Costs, Driving Youth Mental Health Crisis

The American Federation of Teachers, among others, released a report detailing how school districts are experiencing significant burdens as they respond to tech’s predatory and prevalent influence in the classroom. READ NOW

Porn Site Age Checks Required by Growing Number of States

New requirements aim to shield kids from porn as opponents raise privacy and technology concerns. READ NOW

This is the sex question your kids are most likely to ask you (and how to respond)

Sex and relationship experts say it is important to answer the questions, and kids will look online if they aren’t given answers. READ NOW

State Legislatures Are Right to Regulate Porn Sites | Opinion

“As porn has grown ubiquitous, the outrage against it has been squelched. Where pornography was once taboo and secretive, now that it’s online, it has become normalized and celebrated.” READ NOW

The resources above are made possible and available at no cost, thanks to our generous funders. Donations allow us to continue to create innovative programs and tools that help young people build resilience to hypersexualized culture. Please consider contributing to support our work and accelerate our impact.

Sign up here to receive updates on our work, announcements of upcoming events, and the latest news related to pornography and youth