Children can experience emotional distress because of pornography

Pornography may cause emotional and psychological harm in children. Suppose children view it at an age or developmental level where they are unaware of, inexperienced in, or uninterested in sexual activities. In that case, they may feel shocked and disturbed.^[1] On the Internet, children may also encounter pornography inadvertently. Several studies support this argument. In a US survey, 10% of young people (aged between 10 and 17) described themselves as “very or extremely upset” by unwanted exposure to pornography. Similarly, in an Australian survey, 53% of young people (aged between 11 and 17) had experienced something on the Internet they thought was “offensive” or “disgusting.” Pornography dominated the list of content reported. The young people used the adjectives “sick,” “shocked,” “embarrassed,” “repulsed,” and “upset” to describe their feelings towards pornography.^[2] Children are not capable of understanding whether their exposure to pornography would be premature or not. Considering the widespread porn websites on the Internet, they may also experience inadvertent exposure to porn. Pornography should be banned for under 18 to avoid any possible distress.