More Kids Exposed to Violent Porn Online, Commissioner Warns

Rising Exposure to Harmful Content Among Children

Recent research highlights a concerning trend in the exposure of children to harmful online content, particularly pornography. According to a new report, the proportion of children who have encountered such material has increased over the past two years. The findings reveal that many young people come across this content unintentionally, rather than seeking it out.

Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner, emphasized that the data shows harmful content is being pushed to children through dangerous algorithms. She described the content as “violent, extreme, and degrading,” often involving illegal material. De Souza called the findings a “snapshot of what rock bottom looks like,” urging immediate action to address the issue.

The survey, which included responses from 1,020 individuals aged 16 to 21, found that more than half (58%) of respondents had seen pornography involving strangulation, while 44% reported encountering depictions of rape—specifically, situations where someone was asleep. The average age at which children first encountered pornography was 13, but 27% said they were 11 or younger, with some reporting being as young as six.

The report also highlighted troubling attitudes among young people. Four in 10 respondents believed that girls could be persuaded to have sex even if they initially said no. Young people who had watched pornography were more likely to hold this belief. Additionally, 44% agreed with the statement that “girls may say no at first but then can be persuaded to have sex,” while 33% agreed that “some girls are teases and pretend they don’t want sex when they really do.”

Boys were more likely than girls to report having seen online pornography, with 73% of boys compared to 65% of girls. A majority (59%) of young people said they had seen such content by accident, a significant increase from 38% in 2023.

Platform Usage and Algorithmic Risks

The X platform, formerly known as Twitter, remains the most common source of pornography for children, with 45% of respondents reporting exposure there. This contrasts with 35% who saw it on dedicated pornography sites. The gap between these figures has widened over the past two years.

De Souza pointed out that the rise in accidental exposure indicates a problem with how platforms are designed. She argued that algorithms and recommendation systems are responsible for pushing harmful content toward children who never sought it out. This calls for urgent changes in how technology companies operate to protect young users.

The research was conducted in May, just before new online safety measures came into effect. These include age checks to prevent children from accessing harmful content. De Souza believes these measures offer a real opportunity to make children’s safety a top priority for policymakers, tech giants, and developers alike.

Broader Concerns About Online Safety

The findings come amid growing concerns about the role of algorithms in promoting harmful content. A separate study revealed that dangerous algorithms continue to recommend suicide, self-harm, and depression-related content to young people, even after the implementation of new safety measures.

The Molly Rose Foundation, established by Ian Russell after his daughter’s death, analyzed content on Instagram and TikTok from November to June. Their research found that accounts linked to teenage users were bombarded with harmful content, including suicide and self-harm material. Russell criticized Ofcom’s child safety codes, arguing they are not strong enough to prevent such harm.

He called on the Prime Minister to take stronger action, stating that the current measures are insufficient and that more needs to be done to save lives. The foundation has long advocated for stricter legislation to address the issue.

Responses from Tech Companies

Meta, which owns Instagram, responded to the report by disagreeing with its findings. The company stated that tens of millions of teens are now using Instagram Teen Accounts, which include built-in protections. They also claimed that 99% of content encouraging suicide or self-injury is removed before being reported.

TikTok also defended its platform, highlighting the features available for teen accounts, including privacy settings and content filters. A spokesperson noted that over 99% of violative content is proactively removed, and that the findings do not reflect the real user experience.

Despite these claims, the reports and studies suggest that harmful content continues to pose a serious risk to young people online. The need for stronger safeguards and more transparent practices from tech companies remains urgent.