Internet transformed her pornographywhich made browsing much easier than it was in his days Playboy and nightly cable TV. This results in teens’ daily lives filled with sexually explicit photos and videos, making it virtually impossible for an Internet user of this age to avoid exposure to such material.

According to a recent survey, three-quarters of U.S. teens have viewed Internet pornography by age 17, with the median age of first viewing at 12, according to a report by Common Sense Media, a non-profit organization that supports youth. .

The report highlights just how ubiquitous pornography has become: 41% of teens said they saw images of nudity or sexual acts online during the school day on their smartphones, and 58% said they didn’t search for videos or photos of a sexual nature, but came across them . while browsing the Internet, social networks or clicking on ads.

“We can’t sweep this issue under the carpet just because it’s uncomfortable to talk about,” said Jim Steyer, founder and CEO of CSM, who plans to present the report this week to White House officials and federal agencies. “Pornography has become more of a part of children’s lives than ever before and we need it to be talked about on a national level.”

Part of the problem is that online pornography is a highly profitable industry, which gives it a solid foothold. While data on the size of the online porn industry is scarce, Alec Helmi, founder of XBIZ, who researches the economics of the sex industry, estimates that adult platforms will generate at least $15 billion in revenue in 2022. Internet pornography in 2012, ten years ago, was worth $5 billion. In recent years, online pornography has grown into a business where thousands of people have their own streaming channels, messaging channels and photos promoted on sites like Instagram and hosted on platforms like OnlyFans and PornHub, Mr. Helmi explained. .

The CSM report was based on a September survey of 1,358 Americans aged 13 to 17. More than half said they had seen violent pornography such as rape or strangulation. Most reported that pornography depicted stereotypes about blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. More than half of teens said they feel guilty or ashamed after watching porn. At the same time, however, 45% said that pornography provides useful information about sex. LGBTQ teenagers in particular said it helped them learn more about their sexuality.

“We have to be careful when we say that pornography is good or bad,” said Emily Rothman, professor of medical sciences at Boston University. “There are nuances.”