WHAT CAN YOU DO?


The only true “policing” available to prevent children from entering pornographic Internet sites is the involvement of parents and guardians in computer use. Unsupervised minors, who are naturally curious to learn about sexuality, are a mere click away from entering porn sites.

When looking at pornography at a national level, it appears to be in a tug of war back and forth on whether it is constitutional to prohibit it. US Legal Incorporation explains "Internet pornography is a battlefield in U.S. law. Since the explosion of public interest in the Net in the 1990s, the public, lawmakers, and the courts have argued over how to control online porn. Congress and state legislatures have passed several laws aimed at protecting children from exposure to so called cyber porn, but the most sweeping of these have often failed to pass constitutional tests." To learn more about what is being done on a national level to end pornography visit this website. http://internetlaw.uslegal.com/pornography/

Although we are struggling on a national level to fight this issue we can still do something. States and communities can reach out to families and provide assistance with those who are struggling with pornography addictions. As a society the best thing we can do is to educate families on how harmful pornography really is, especially on children.

It is no longer a question of “if” our children will view pornography but rather “when” they will see pornography. With technology rapidly growing, it may seem hopeless to protect children from pornography. However inconvenient it may be for adults, we need to protect children from the hurtful representation of sex and sexuality. The only true “policing” available to prevent children from entering pornographic Internet sites is the involvement of parents and guardians in computer use. Unsupervised minors, who are naturally curious to learn about sexuality, are a mere click away from entering porn sites. As parents, the main goal to protect our children from pornography is to teach them to protect themselves.

1. Talk to your children
It is important for children to know the reasons why pornography is wrong to view. If they do not have that understanding, then what is to prevent them from doing it once they leave the home? Being open and honest with your children about pornography will give them the opportunity to do the same. To discover more ways to talk to your children about pornography visit this website http://magazine-dev.byu.edu/article/arm-your-kids-for-the-battle/


2. Establish family and household rules.
Allow children to engage in creating rules that are acceptable or non-acceptable for each family member. This can allow the family to stay motivated and focused. When we are looking after one another it is easier to hold ourselves accountable. Getting the whole family involved can give better protection against dangers on the internet within and outside the home.


3. Add protective filters
Pornography can leak its way onto most devices with a simple click (on television, phone, and gaming devices). By adding protective filters to devices, it can limit the risk of children viewing pornography. Keeping computers in high traffic areas can also help you monitor your children’s computer use. Let's take every precaution to secure a safer internet search. To learn more about protective filters visit this website https://www.netnanny.com/features/porn-blocking/


We can start now and do something! Taking the proper steps to protect children from the harmful effects of pornography is securing a better future for each of them. It is not a hopeless battle. With the proper gear and protection we can win the fight.

Sources: https://www.netnanny.com/features/porn-blocking/
http://magazine-dev.byu.edu/article/arm-your-kids-for-the-battle/
US Legal Inc- http://internetlaw.uslegal.com/pornography/
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·         The Internet and mobile devices have made it so that most children will probably be exposed to pornography at some point.
·         Maintaining an open relationship is the best way to help guide your children through these challenges.
·         You can also protect your children by learning what to look for and practicing good Internet safety.
It is easy to feel a bit scared and helpless, but there are things we can do as parents.

Keep the Lines of Communication Open

Children who have been exposed to pornography need to know that they can talk to you. They should not feel guilty about accidently seeing something, and they will need your help to process what they saw. When appropriate, talk to your children about what real love and real sex is. Help them understand the nature of pornography and its dangers. Let them know that they can ask you anything and be careful not to respond with shock or anger when they do confide with you.
Children and teens who are already struggling with pornography need to know that their parents are there to lovingly help and support them.

What to Look For

It is important not to jump to conclusions or to be overly suspicious, but parents also need to be watchful. If you feel like your child might be struggling with a pornography problem, talk to your child in an open and caring way. Things to look for:
·         Using the computer late at night when everybody else is in bed or being overly tired all the time.
·         Excessive computer usage.
·         Suspicious behavior like quickly changing the screen when somebody walks into the room.
·         Depression, lying, acting emotionally disconnected or withdrawn, and irritability.
·         Poor school performance.

How to Help Your Child

Hearing that your child has a problem with pornography can leave you feeling shocked, disappointed, and angry. But it is important to respond in a calm, respectful, and loving way. Let your child know of your love and that you are there to help. Finding out how involved your child is and how it began can help you determine what kind of help and direction might be needed. As your child works to overcome the problem provide help and encouragement. Most importantly, keep the lines of communication open.

Practice Good Internet Safety

The Internet is a wonderful tool and has changed our lives dramatically. But parents have to teach their children how to use it responsibly. Unfortunately there is no foolproof way to filter everything out, but there are steps you can take to better protect your family.
  1. Keep home computers in high-traffic areas where they can easily be monitored. Keep computers out of bedrooms or rooms with closed doors.
  2. Although Internet filters can often be overridden by technology-savvy children, it is at least one more obstacle between them and inappropriate content. For reviews on Internet filters and a list of their features, visit www.internetfilterreview.com. You will want to find a filter that allows you to see what sites have been visited and what emails have been sent. It is also helpful if it tracks instant messaging and any chat room activity. Many filters also allow parents to limit access to just a small group of trusted sites. You will also want to find a filter that works with your mobile devices.
  3. Most cell phone companies have programs that allow you to monitor and control your children’s cell phone usage. You can set time restrictions on when they can use the phone and you can set lists of blocked and trusted contacts. It is a good way to limit nighttime Internet use. Contact your cell phone provider to find out more.
  4. Children often stumble on pornography accidentally. Let them know that if they do that it isn’t their fault and that they need to come tell you. Unfortunately many of those sites purposefully make it very hard to leave the page. So it helps to teach your children that if they can’t leave the site, to just turn off the computer.
  5. Teach your children Internet safety. Teach them to avoid ads, aimless surfing online, chat rooms, bulletin boards, and other unfamiliar areas on the Internet. They should also never share personal information online or open an email from somebody they don’t know.
  6. Staying on top of trends and technology allows you to be aware of new potential dangers. Children often face challenges that even their older siblings might not have faced.
  7. Involve your children in your efforts. Let them know what you are doing and why you are doing it. Explain to them that you are doing this in their best interest and that while you won’t be policing their every move that you will be keeping an eye on things to make sure they are safe. Establish clear limits and then follow through consistently. And if you find that your child has visited an inappropriate site, use the opportunity to communicate rather than l
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It is no longer a question of “if” our children view pornography but rather “when” they see pornography. With technology rapidly growing, it may seem hopeless to protect children from pornography. However inconvenient it may be for adults, we need to protect children from the hurtful representation of sex and sexuality. The only true “policing” available to prevent children from entering pornographic Internet sites is the involvement of parents and guardians in computer use. Unsupervised minors, who are naturally curious to learn about sexuality, are a mere click away from entering porn sites. As parents, the main goal to protect our children from pornography is to teach them to protect themselves. 

1. Talk to your children It is important for children to know the reasons why pornography is wrong to view. If they do not have the understanding then what is to prevent them from doing it once they leave the home. Being open and honest with your children about pornography will give them the opportunity to do the same. To discover more ways to talk to your children about pornography click here 

2. Establish family and household rules. Allow children to engage in creating rules that are acceptable or non-acceptable for each family member. This will allow the family to hold one another accountable and motivate them to follow their own rules. When we are looking after one another we can be better protected from dangers on the internet within and outside the home. 

3. Add protective filters Pornography can leak its way onto most devices with a simple click (on television, phone, and gaming devices) by adding protective filters to devices it can limit the risk of children viewing pornography. Keeping computers in high traffic areas can also help you monitor your children’s computer use. 

4.  To learn more about protective filters and how to add them click We can start now and do something! Taking the proper steps to protect children from the harmful effects of pornography is securing a better future for each of them. However inconvenient it may be for adults, we need to protect children from the hurtful representation of sex and sexuality.  The pornography industry and organization sympathetic to pornography industry, such as the ACLU, have aggressively fought attempts to communities to place filters on library computers.  
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In a Spring 2015 BYU Magazine published an excellent article entitled: Arm your kids for Battle. Check out the link.

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