Teens and their use of online pornography is a serious problem in today’s technology driven society. Where previous generations were cautious of a stolen Playboy magazine, current parents need to think about how to protect their teens from the ever available, internet pornography.

Smartphones offer many advantages - quicker, easier communication through text or face time and instant access to a wealth of information. For teens especially, this can be very convenient in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It’s easier than ever to get in touch with your teenager anywhere by a quick text or call. If your teen needs to look up information for a school project, the answers are essentially at their fingertips.

What Else is at Your Teenager’s Fingertips?

According to Pornhub, one of the nation’s largest porn sites, currently, about 72% of worldwide traffic to Pornhub comes from smartphones and tablets. Compare that with the 77% of teenagers who own a smartphone and it makes you wonder what type of content is readily available to our teens through their personal mobile devices. It’s safe to assume, whether purposeful or accidental, your child will come across online pornography through online searches.

How is This Different Than Accessing Pornography on a Desktop?

The very personal nature of a cell phone creates a unique security situation. Keep in mind there are apps that can hide stored pornographic content on phones. With the higher level of privacy, it’s clear why they have become the preferred method of accessing online pornography, especially for younger viewers. One consideration is to use parental control software, which can help identify and block inappropriate content on smartphones, tablets and desktop computers.

Technology is always changing and, as parents, it’s to be expected that our children may be one step ahead of us, so open communication is crucial to keeping your loved ones safe and well informed. Talk with your children openly about temptations of viewing pornography and the potential negative consequences.