What’s so bad about porn? Some believe it’s just videos on a screen, or a way to relieve stress, something that has been deemed normal in today’s society – some even claim it’s empowering to those that perform it. However, they are wrong; young people’s access to pornography online can lead to addiction, lack of impulse control, unrealistic expectations, depression, low motivation and much more.
Children are being exposed to online pornography from as young as nine, according to a study for the children’s commissioner for England, with some encountering it as young as 8. I fear the younger generation having this technology is going to have such a huge impact on their brain. There’s nothing wrong with having a phone to contact their family or friends. However, having a phone where there’s access to violent videos or pornography is where we should draw the line. The impact of early exposure to porn doesn’t go away, it forms habits from such a young age which can easily spiral into addiction.
When a child or teen encounters porn on multiple occasions it starts rewiring the brain. Studies show that the brain has the ability to adapt and when pornography is continuously being watched the brain will start craving it. Every time it is watched dopamine is released. Over time the brain will seek extreme content just to have the same dopamine hit it had when first watching pornography. Slowly this leads to a loss of impulse control, reduced satisfaction from real life experiences, and a growing dependence on porn as a form of escapism. There are numerous reports about how porn normalises – and indeed increases – sexual violence.
Once we recognised the real impact pornography was having on our generation, we knew something had to change. That’s why a group of young people came together to create a music video called ‘Butt Naked’. This was us, as young people, protesting against the impact porn is having on our generation. It’s more than just a music video or song, it’s a form of activism, created to inspire changes. You can find this impactful music video on YouTube.
Integrate UK young activist
