Good on Paper Can We Stop Kids From Watching Porn?
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Apr 15, 2025 Zeve Sanderson, the Executive Director of NYU's Center for Social Media and Politics, sheds light on the complexities of age-verification laws meant to protect minors from online pornography. He discusses how teens often find ways to circumvent these regulations, raising questions about the effectiveness of such measures. The conversation delves into the unintended consequences of these laws, highlighting the need for better sex education and responsible parental guidance. Sanderson also addresses the tension between privacy rights and access to adult content in the digital age.
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Porn's Impact on Kids
- Studies suggest that adolescent exposure to online pornography correlates with negative outcomes like body image concerns and risky sexual scripts.
- However, it's difficult to establish causality, as randomly assigning kids to watch porn for research is unethical.
Youth Porn Exposure
- Surveys suggest first porn exposure typically occurs between ages 11 and 13.
- Restricting access has shifted from in-person ID checks to online age verification, complicated by the internet.
Early Age Verification
- Early online age verification methods included trivia questions in the 80s video game "Leisure Suit Larry".
- One question asked about Nixon's VP, potentially excluding some adults unfamiliar with the political history.