Teenagers speak out on their unintentional exposure to online porn
Unintentional encounters with online pornography are a common – and often uncomfortable – part of teenagers’ online lives. Previous eSafety research shows that one in three young people who had seen online porn first encountered it accidentally before the age of 13.
This qualitative research focuses on these unintentional encounters to better understand what the experiences are like from the perspective of teenagers.
Drawing on six one-hour focus groups with 16-18-year-olds, the report details the emotional impact of this exposure and what young people say is needed to help them safely navigate accidental encounters online.
Summary of key findings
Across these discussions, teenagers shared a consistent set of experiences and priorities, describing unintentional encounters as unwanted, uncomfortable and unavoidable. Their insights highlight what feels harmful and why, as well as what support and change could make a difference.
- Unintentional encounters with online pornography are frequent and unwelcome, often leaving teenagers feeling awkward or unsettled.
- Porn seems unavoidable online, leading some teenagers to feel desensitised to it and concerned that these encounters normalise unrealistic ideas about sex.
- Teenagers want online platforms and the government to do more to prevent unwanted exposure.
- Choice and control matter – young people want to be able to decide if and when they engage with online porn.
- Teenagers see pornography education that starts early as the most important support to prepare young people for the reality that online porn exists.
- Teenagers want porn education that reduces stigma, supports open discussion and helps them think critically about what they see online.
'I think we should be able to create a safe space to discuss [and] learn. So while people can enjoy it [porn], they can be aware that it’s not the most realistic thing, and not just for relationships but also for body image, consent, and how sex works.' – young woman, 18.
About the research
This research draws on data from a wider eSafety research project conducted in September 2022, exploring teenagers’ lived experiences with online pornography and their perspectives on age assurance. Unlike already published reports, this paper only draws on focus group data from six online, text-based discussions with 32 Australian teens.
The experiences and words of teenagers help to inform eSafety’s ongoing work to strengthen protections around age-inappropriate content. This includes the Age-Restricted Material Codes, which now require online service providers to take steps to reduce children’s exposure to pornography, and other harmful content they’re not ready to see.
Further, the voices of teenagers in this study contribute to a chorus of young people calling for education that builds porn literacy – helping them to critically interpret online porn and feel less shame when encountering it unexpectedly.
The study and its findings are described in detail in a paper published in Sex Education.
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Helpful resources
eSafety’s Parents section has information for parents and carers, including actionable advice about children’s encounters with online porn.
eSafety’s Young People section provides valuable information to help children and teens stay safe online.