This paper by the Children's Commissioner for England makes clear the urgent need to protect children from the harms of online pornography. It is is published as the Online Safety Bill passes through Parliament. The legislation, as currently drafted, imposes important age verification requirements on platforms which host pornography to prevent under-18s from accessing adult content online.
The report draws together research from a survey of 1,000 young people and focus groups with teenagers aged 13-19.
Of the 18-21-year-olds, 79% had seen pornography involving sexual violence as children. Almost half of young people say girls expect sex to involve physical aggression, such as airway restriction, the commissioner's report says.
The Commissioner intends for this report to aid Parliamentarians as they make crucial decisions about the protection of children from harmful content, including pornography, through the Online Safety Bill.
The Commissioner also hopes that findings from this research will support the regulator, Ofcom, in their future enforcement regime, as well as parents, teachers and other key professionals, to understand and protect children from pornography’s impacts.