Children aged 9 exposed to porn, study shows

Children as young as nine are being exposed to internet pornography, a study by England's Children's Commissioner shows.

The research, published today, suggests that a quarter of 16-21-year-olds first saw pornography whilst they were still in primary school.

Almost four in ten children interviewed in the study said that they had stumbled across pornographic content accidentally.

The study also demonstrates that children's views about sex and relationships are being warped through the consumption of porn.

Of the 18-21-year-olds who took part in the Commissioner's study, 79% had seen pornography involving sexual violence as children.

One 12-year-old said that her boyfriend had "strangled" her during their first kiss. He had seen it in pornography "and thought it normal".

Speaking to the BBC today, Children's Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza stressed the need for action by UK Ministers.

"It should not be the case that young children are stumbling across violent and misogynistic pornography on social-media sites".

"I truly believe we will look back in 20 years and be horrified by the content to which children were being exposed", she said.

The UK Government's Online Safety Bill is being considered at Westminster, where it is currently being scrutinsied by Peers.

Age checks on porn sites should already have been introduced but UK Ministers changed course in 2019 and abandoned the measures.

CARE has called for five changes to the Online Safety Bill to ensure children and young people are better-protected from porn.

1. A clear definition of pornography as harmful content in the bill.

2. Robust age verification measures to enhance child protections

3. Age checks on porn sites within 6 months of a new law

4. The consent and age of people in porn videos verified by sites

5. Prohibited material dealt with online as it is offline