The not legal…
Not all pornographic material online is legal and it can be easy to gain access to material online which may not always be respectful of either age or legal restrictions.

Pornography is part of our society and it's always been there, but the internet has made it easier to find. That doesn't mean the internet is a no-go area, you just have to take precautions. It's natural for children to be curious about the sort of images you wouldn't want them to see, so use your judgment to restrict the results of their curiosity. Be open about this, so you can trust them to tell you if they see something inappropriate.

For Adults: Research findings examining the effects of exposure to pornography on adults suggest that brief exposure to violent forms of pornography can lead to:
• anti-social attitudes and behaviour
• increased aggression towards women
• greater acceptance of rape myths.

The effects of exposure to sexually explicit material on are unclear.

But..
The pathways through which a child or young person becomes involved with pornography may be more complex than that of adults given the ability to access a full array of sexually explicit material online.

In addition,
New technologies allow young people the opportunity to move beyond simple consumption of pornography to interaction and production of material, e.g., through the use of web cams and picture messaging phones.

Encourage dialogue
Clearly, it is no longer sufficient to regard pornography simply in terms of the harmful effects of a child or young person being exposed to pornographic content. It is important to consider the scope for children and young people not only to be exposed to material but also their vulnerability to engage in the creation, production and distribution of pornography, such as webcam girls. The latter set of activities may involve children and young people becoming involved in high risk activities and the perpetration of a crime, i.e., the production of material that could be classed as child pornography.

ParentsCentre - helping you to help your child
Parents Centre
Internet Watch Foundation IWF