Porn offers in mobile format are increasing rapidly regardless of the vulnerability of young people. Here the answers given in an interview with Phil, Project Lead of the Christian website www.nacktetatsachen.at on the new dangers to teenagers.
Pornography through smartphones – is this really a widespread phenomenon among young people?
Of course, there are many young people who have not come into contact with it yet but pictures and movies on the phone with the improved technical capabilities are increasing rapidly. All major mobile providers now have erotic pictures and movies to download. Unsolicited pornography often arrives on the smartphones of young people. Meanwhile, pornographic videos are collected and distributed by young people, just like stickers of football players were in the past. Among them is also hardcore pornography. In some school classes you are “out” if you don’t know the current porn actresses’ names. Is it necessary for parents to control their childrens’ cell phones? Actually, one would like to let them have a little privacy. Control is such a difficult subject. Writing SMS messages has often had a kind of diary function for teenagers. They feel that it is a serious intrusion into their privacy when parents comb through the contents of their smartphones without permission. On the other hand, parents are responsible for what is transmitted e g through their children’s mobiles. If illegal pictures and videos are distributed, this can have serious legal consequences for the parents.
So control is better?
It is crucial for parents to maintain a good relationship with their children so that they can talk about such issues as pornography. Enlightenment is not a unique thing but it takes time for issues to be talked about and processed. Parents should tell their children that pornography is just a cheap and false reflection of sexuality and they should not wait to discuss it until the children are almost grown because young people today are confronted for the first time with pornography on average, at the age of 11 years. Parents should make sure that they are up-to-date with information on smartphones and the latest technology by searching the Internet and should also ask their children how it all works. In addition, I recommend that parents pray for protection and wisdom.
Can we solve the problem by not allowing them to purchase smartphones? Smartphones play an enormous role in the communication of young people. I think it is important that they get one at the right time. However, an older model, with which you can text SMS and make phone calls, is sufficient in my opinion. The best is a smartphone without MMS, a camera, WiFi and Bluetooth. There are also new, trendy phones, such as the Motofone F3, without the latest extras.
