Social media takes much well-deserved flak for exposing children to pornography at younger and younger ages, but one platform that often seems to skirt the ridicule is actually the most used online platform by children in the U.S., according to Pew Research.

This platform is Youtube.

YouTube does not discriminate when it comes to the age of its users, with infants and teens alike either being placed, or placing themselves, in front of its portal.

In 2024, children under 2 years old reportedly spent 49 minutes per day on screens. 2-4 year olds spent 2.5 hours on screens, and 5-8 year olds came in at just over 3 hours, as reported by Common Sense Media.

73 percent of that time was spent on TV or video viewing platforms like Youtube.

A 2020 Pew Research study involving parents with children 11 years old and under found that 46 percents of parents who reported that their child used Youtube also reported that their child had been exposed to inappropriate material on the platform.

This statistic, while disturbingly high as it is, relies on the parent’s awareness of their child’s exposure to inappropriate material and does not take into account the rather high possibility that their child may have been exposed to something without their knowledge.

A study discussed in an Institute for Family Studies article by Gabriela Coca and Jocelyn Wikle, found that 43 percent of children who are exposed to pornography do not tell anyone about their exposure.

The average age a child is exposed to porn varies depending on the source but the general consensus is around 11-12 years old.

Keep in mind that the term “average” means that there are children younger than 11-12 years old being exposed to pornography.

A study conducted in 2017 reported pornography exposure all the way down to 5 years old.

When it comes to protecting children from pornography, it can feel like a losing battle for parents who are regularly told that kid-filters are useless, parental controls are largely ineffective, and that even if their child does not use screens at home, they are likely to use screens outside the home.

Pornography exposure has become less of an “if” problem and more of a “when” problem for this generation, which means parents need to be proactive in educating their children on how to respond if, or perhaps when, they are exposed.

Defend Young Minds, an organization devoted to teaching parents how to raise children who are “empowered, resilient, and screen-smart,” published a book called Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr.

The book is written in a child-friendly way, intended for 3-6 year olds, and provides a natural method in which to teach children about “good pictures” and “bad pictures,” and just as importantly, how to reject the bad pictures and tell a trusted adult.

There is also a version of the book intended for slightly older children, 7-12 years of age, who may be ready for a more in-depth discussion of “what pornography is, why it’s dangerous, and how to reject it.”

Children are simply not ready for what platforms like Youtube will put in their laps, and this early exposure to sexually graphic content can have serious consequences.

Early porn exposure can lead to a “greater acceptance of sexual harassment, sexual activity at an early age, acceptance of negative attitudes to women, unrealistic expectations, skewed attitudes of gender roles, greater levels of body dissatisfaction, rape myths (responsibility for sexual assault to a female victim), and sexual aggression,” according to the Institute for Family Studies article mentioned earlier.

The article goes on to discuss how early porn exposure increases the chances of depression and anxiety stating that the earlier a child is exposed, the greater the risk of mental health issues down the road.

While YouTube is certainly a culprit in this issue, so are Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, etc. The issue is pervasive.

Anywhere a child has access to the internet, the internet has access to them.

Not to be forgotten are teenagers who are spending an average of almost 9 hours a day in front of screens, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

This is equivalent to a full-time job.

Nearly 20 percent of teens self-report that they are on Youtube “almost constantly.”

So what are parents to do about it?

Monitor screens closely, delay access to smartphones, consider minimizing screen time at home, and perhaps above all, prepare your kids with the tools they will need to navigate this modern, digital landscape as safely as possible.