The accessibility of pornography for young people has reached alarming levels. As the government seeks to block minors from accessing these sites, a study by Arcom and Médiamétrie, published on May 24, reveals that nearly one in ten minors views such content daily. The issue? At an age when their brains are still developing, this exposure can lead to behavioral problems. Clinical psychologist Maria Hernández-Mora explains.
Pornography shapes adolescent desires, leading to troubling behaviors such as sexual touching in school bathrooms, viewing explicit videos during recess, and normalizing sexting. School administrators are increasingly raising alarms about the sexualized conduct of their students, indicating that pornography has become a significant public health issue.
The Senate addressed this matter in September 2022, releasing a concerning report titled “Porn: The Hell Behind the Scenes.” This document highlights a “massive, normalized, and toxic consumption of pornography among adolescents.” The statistics are striking: a majority of those under 15 are exposed to such content.
A 2023 study commissioned by Arcom specifies that 2.3 million minors visit porn sites each month. In simple terms, the percentage of exposed minors has increased by nine points in five years, rising from 19% at the end of 2017 to 28% by the end of 2022. Consequently, after a prolonged struggle, major porn platforms are now required, as of January 11, to verify the age of their users or face blocking for non-compliance.