Teens Say Porn Is Teaching Them About Sex. What Are They Learning?

Dr. Michael Robb is a developmental psychologist and Head of Research at Common Sense Media. In this episode, he joins us to unpack findings from two major Common Sense Media studies: Teens and Pornography, which explores how teens are exposed to and engage with online pornography, and Teens in the AI Era: Pornography and Sexual Content, which examines how AI-generated explicit content is creating new challenges for young people.Common Sense Media’s research found that the average reported age of first exposure to pornography was 12, while 30% of teens reported seeing pornography during the school day. And as AI-generated sexual content becomes increasingly common, 44% of teens say they’ve encountered it, with about 1 in 4 of those teens seeing AI sexual content depicting themselves or someone they personally know.Why do teens watch porn? What are teens learning from pornography about sex? And how is AI-generated porn changing what young people encounter online? Dr. Robb discusses differences in how boys and girls engage with pornography, why so much exposure happens accidentally, what teens themselves say they're learning from porn, and what parents and trusted adults should know about explicit deepfakes and AI-generated sexual content.Episode Resources:Article: Nearly Half of Teens Exposed to AI-Generated Sexual ContentArticle: How Many Students Watch Porn at School?Common Sense Study 2023: Teens and PornographyCommon Sense Study 2026: Teens in the AI EraConversation Guide: Let's Talk About PornAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Madyson is a former OnlyFans creator who spent three and a half years creating pornographic content before leaving the industry. After first being exposed to pornography at seven years old, Madyson says she began imagining a future in the porn industry by age 12 and started creating content shortly after turning 18.What is it really like to be an OnlyFans creator? How much money do OnlyFans creators actually make? And is OnlyFans really empowering for its creators?In this episode, Madyson shares how the promise of easy money and empowerment compared with her experience of increasing subscriber demands, shifting personal boundaries, body-image struggles, and objectification. She also discusses why leaving wasn't as simple as deciding to stop, how her content continues to affect her years later, and what she wishes young people considering OnlyFans understood before joining.Episode Resources:Article: The “OnlyFans Era” and What Pop Culture Gets Wrong About Selling Sexual Content OnlinePodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 153: TaylorConversation Guide: Let's Talk About PornAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What is it like to be the first generation to grow up with smartphones, social media, and internet pornography?In this bonus episode, we unpack new survey findings about Gen Z's experiences with pornography, relationships, and consent. They discuss how online pornography became many young people's first exposure to sex, why social media has become a major source of exposure, and what today's young adults say they wish had been different.Episode Resources:Article: How Are Gen Z Using Porn?FTND Parent PageAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Joseph Alto is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and the Head of Growth at Relay Health, a recovery app designed to help individuals overcome compulsive pornography use through accountability, community, and evidence-informed support.How do you quit pornography? Why is it so difficult to stop, even when you genuinely want to? What actually helps people experience lasting recovery?In this episode, Joe shares practical, compassionate guidance for anyone trying to quit pornography. Drawing from both his clinical experience and his own recovery journey, he explains why willpower alone often isn't enough, how to identify the emotions and patterns driving pornography use, what to do after setbacks, and how accountability, community, and healthier coping strategies can support long-term recovery.This episode is sponsored by Relay, a secure peer-support app that connects you with a small group of people who understand what you’re going through and help you stay accountable on your journey to quit porn. CBC listeners can try Relay free for 7 days by signing up at http://ftnd.org/joinrelay.Episode Resources:Article: How to Actually Quit Porn This YearPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 152: Chris ChandlerConversation Guide: Let's Talk About PornAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses AI-generated explicit imagery, nonconsensual intimate images, sexual exploitation, and image-based abuse.Can someone create fake pornography using your Instagram photos? Are AI OnlyFans models replacing real creators? What happens if someone makes explicit deepfakes of you without your consent?In this bonus episode of Consider Before Consuming, Elisabeth and Scott discuss a recent lawsuit alleging that dozens of men used AI to generate explicit images of unsuspecting women, sell that content online, and even teach others how to do the same. They explore how these schemes work, why everyday social media users are increasingly being targeted, and what this says about the growing demand for exploitative AI-generated content.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of sexually explicit AI-generated images, sexual harassment, exploitation, suicidal thoughts, and image-based sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised.Angela Tipton spent more than 20 years teaching middle school before discovering that students had created and shared a sexually explicit AI-generated image depicting her. What began as one fake image quickly spread throughout her school, reached her own children, escalated into fake social media accounts meant to make the image seem real, and ultimately changed the course of her career. How convincing are AI-generated nude images? What happens when students create and share AI nudes of a teacher? Why do fake explicit images cause real harm? How should schools respond, and what role does pornography play in shaping the way some young people think about consent and other people?In this episode, Angela shares the emotional toll of becoming the target of deepfake abuse, why the effects continue years later, and what she believes parents, educators, and communities need to understand as AI becomes more accessible. She also offers hope and encouragement for anyone who has experienced image-based sexual abuse or is supporting someone who has. Episode Resources:Victim ResourcesPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 132, Melinda Tankard ReistSexual Harassment of Teachers ReportAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of human trafficking and exploitation. Listener discretion is advised.Preston Goff is the Vice President of Global Communications at The Exodus Road, a global nonprofit organization working to prevent human trafficking, support survivors, and bring traffickers to justice.Preston has spent years working alongside investigators, survivor advocates, and law enforcement around the world. In this conversation, we discuss the connection between pornography consumption and demand for commercial sexual exploitation, how social media is changing the landscape of trafficking, and why prevention is just as important as intervention.What is human trafficking, and does it always involve kidnapping? Is there a connection between pornography and sex trafficking? How are traffickers using social media to recruit victims? Can platforms like OnlyFans contribute to exploitation? Preston helps unpack these questions while exploring why retrafficking happens, how to talk with young people about exploitation without creating shame, and what each of us can do to become part of the solution.This episode is sponsored by Relay, a secure peer-support app that connects you with a small group of people who understand what you’re going through and help you stay accountable on your journey to quit porn. CBC listeners can try Relay free for 7 days by signing up at http://ftnd.org/joinrelay.Episode Resources:The Exodus RoadStop The DemandPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 137: Louie GreekConversation Blueprint: Let's Talk About PornAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of human trafficking, sexual exploitation, physical violence, coercion, and abuse. Listener discretion is advised.A recent trafficking investigation involving an OnlyFans content operation has sparked headlines across the country. Authorities allege that teenage girls were recruited with promises of money and independence, only to face coercion, violence, and exploitation behind the scenes.In this bonus episode, Elisabeth and Scott break down the details of the case, discuss why it challenges common assumptions about platforms like OnlyFans, and explore the broader connection between pornography, exploitation, and demand.What is the Bellevue OnlyFans mansion case? Is OnlyFans linked to human trafficking? How do content creators get recruited into the adult industry? And can viewers know whether pornographic content was created consensually?Through the lens of this case, they discuss why exploitation can be difficult to identify, how social media and online platforms can normalize the industry, and what it means to address not only the abuse itself, but the demand that makes it profitable.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This episode contains discussions of sexual violence and child sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised. Clare McGlynn is a professor of law at Durham University and an expert on violence against women and girls.Clare has spent years researching the ways pornography, technology, and online platforms shape culture, influence sexual norms, and contribute to harmful attitudes and behaviors. In this conversation, we discuss how algorithms influence what people see on porn platforms, why certain themes and behaviors have become increasingly common in mainstream pornography, and what that means for how people understand sex, consent, and relationships.Why has choking become so common among young people? Does pornography influence attitudes toward consent? What is "sleep porn," and why is it allowed on mainstream platforms? How are AI chatbots and deepfakes creating entirely new forms of abuse? Clare helps unpack these questions while exploring the broader cultural impact of pornography and emerging technologies.We also discuss the growing popularity of "barely legal" content, the normalization of rough sex, and why technologies like AI and virtual reality may be amplifying harms that already exist online.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Brian Schillingburg is a former school principal and recovery coach who spent 25 years working with students before his own struggle with pornography escalated into behavior that ultimately led to his arrest.Drawing from decades in schools, Brian shares what he's seen as pornography and sexualized content have become increasingly accessible to young people. He discusses the realities of early exposure, how pornography can shape expectations around relationships and sexuality, and why many parents underestimate what young people are navigating online today.Brian also shares his personal story, including his first exposure to pornography as a child, how it became a coping mechanism for stress and pain, and how years of use eventually escalated into buying sex. He opens up about the arrest that changed his life, the impact it had on his family and career, and what accountability, recovery, and rebuilding have looked like since.This episode is sponsored by Relay, a secure peer-support app that connects you with a small group of people who understand what you’re going through and help you stay accountable on your journey to quit porn. CBC listeners can try Relay free for 7 days by signing up at http://ftnd.org/joinrelay.Episode Resources:Article: What 25 Years in Schools Taught Me About Early Porn ExposureArticle: When Porn Use Shatters Trust: A Therapist Explains Betrayal TraumaPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 162: Chris BennettThe 9th Inning ProjectDemand DisruptionAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy