The Troubles of High Schoolers with Technology and Pornography
Several stories hit the news in recent weeks that crystallized the very serious problem of teens and the interwoven peril of technology and pornography.
The New York Post reported that boys at a local high school in New Jersey are reported to have used AI to generate nude images of their female classmates. The use of artificial intelligence to create pornography and, potentially pornographic images of underage people was recently reported and predicted here to be a problem. The article indicates a few states have laws directly addressing this issue, with most states not having specific laws to address this.
The Wall Street Journal reported a consultant to Instagram working on a comprehensive study of the harm that may be caused to teens and pre-teens by the use of its own product was shocked to learn of the teen safety problem that existed. 13% of users under the age of 16 experienced unwanted sexual advances in the previous 7 days. The frequency cited of unwanted pornographic images sent peer to peer amongst or to underage users was alarming.
And, The Free Press awarded an essay prize to a 16-year-old girl’s submission entitled, “I had a helicopter mom and I found porn anyway.” Reporting that she stumbled upon the website pornhub at age 10, she described the harm that and countless other sites and exposure caused on her psyche and emotional well-being.
Never has there been a more pressing time for smart intervention to ensure prevention occurs. AI is increasingly available. It has been reported that 90% of deepfakes (the use of someone’s face on another’s body or in a setting that isn’t real) are pornographic images. Technology has increased the proliferation and availability of pornography, including child pornography.
The exposure of teens to pornography can cause tremendous harm. There is also enormous risk to those involved. Particularly as it relates to self generated or fabricated child pornography, the lifetime of consequences can’t be imagined at that age. This forum does not condone these acts in any way, shape, or form. We are especially discouraged by the ease at which these images can be created and the age at which kids have the access to commit such acts.
This is a uniquely clear opportunity for education by parents, educators, law enforcement and civic leaders to provide clear guidance to young adults and particularly boys who are most prone to make these mistakes. This is the exact problem an active prevention program could be developed and implemented to deter the use of technology this way.
We have seen tremendous increases in manpower allocations towards post conviction offender management while 95% of new crimes are being committed by individuals not already on the registry. Intervention on this issue may actually prevent the creation and distribution of child pornography.
It’s ridiculous how society has gone off the deep end on stuff like this. Creating harm where there is none, and a McCarthyism witch hunt bandwagon that just keeps spiraling further down the rabbit hole
Use a real image, filter it, change it enough to not be the same person, but close enough, call it art…freedom of expression, get away with it. Have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt there was the mens rea it was malicious towards one person with their image.
People have warned of this for years. Now it is here.
The teen girl was harmed by viewing pornography? So stop viewing it!
WTH, suddenly her issue is all of society’s problem?? No, take responsibility! (Yes, teens must also learn responsibility.)
And how exactly does this relate to the issue at hand??: “13% of users under the age of 16 experienced unwanted sexual advances in the previous 7 days.”
Entirely unrelated to issue of creating AI pornography, or for that matter, viewing pornography*.
*Which also does not relate directly to creation of AI porn.
I agree, who is looking at porn at 10 years old…perhaps there is something wrong with her!?! At any rate, the parents are still 100% at fault and to blame with no exception. They have ONE JOB and ONE JOB only which is to raise their offspring. Clearly they failed.
What does it mean “13% of users under the age of 16 experienced unwanted sexual advances in the previous 7 days.”? The article states that their peers are sending these illegal images to each other.
I say TURN THEM IN TO THE POLICE! Let’s see these hordes of facing jail time and then time on the sex offender registry! Don’t try to pass the buck on this claiming victim-hood – that card is totally played out at this point.
Time to press charges (the students and the parents) and perhaps once the absurdity is experienced by more and more families they might just take steps to make these laws more reasonable.
Got to love technology in fact many wouldn’t be on the registry if it wasn’t for technology. Of course their is good and bad in everytthing and now its in school systems.And yes porn can harm many or are we here for no reason at all commenting an the good, bad, and the ugly.
Sure people just want to get off the registry and others want to stop it whether it hurts some or many. Course the bottom line is porn is big bucks, Governments seem to want to snare others by this trap and when the damage is done it comes down to a choice or a decision of the individual. Hey what people do is up to them but their is a moral lesson in all.
Porn is immoral plain and simple. Oh our righteousness well its as filthy rags as the bible says. Our government well they turn a blind eye by allowing it and the school kids they don’t even understand this porn enticement they just want to be part of the crowd. All of this weighs on biblical and moral values. Those who have ears should understand.
Is this a police problem or a community and parenting problem? We need to get police out of our bedrooms, and immorality on to parents, social workers, church leaders, and school guidance counselors. It is a local political problem to harness these resources in each community to address minor deviant behavior. Any time you give up anyone guilty of what should be a minor crime or lesser deviant behavior to the justice court system, you ruin for a lifetime countless lives, both the offenders, victims, and family members. It has become about government money and new institutional jobs. How can you incarcerate and register some for looking at illegal porn or creating IA versions and not do the same for others, namely, your school age middle and upper class sons and daughters. Jail of 3-years for each picture and the registry. These are social issues, not criminal ones, but our lawmakers and police have shown weak leadership and have made them serious felony crimes, and how can a civil just society incarcerate, brand for life, and destroy lives in the name of justice. Look how other countries handle sexual issues – seems the countries in Europe have a much healthier view of sex than we do in America. For that reason we have a corrupt and ineffective justice system and the largest prison population in the world, more than Russia and China. Our country has intimidated the concept of a registry around the world. Europe has mostly pushed back in the name of civil rights and the concept of privacy. Our lawmakers and police are quicker to follow public sentiment than good reason and academic study. Shame on those in authority and pity on those victimized by poor leadership.
It is first a parenting problem that turns into a police problem when it leaves the house and impacts others who are not in the house, but are classmates, et al. Societal ills will always be there and will continue to grow, so parents needs to step up and do what they can to parent, but will have to trust their children to do what is best with the info they can. Minors cannot be put into a bubble from life or they will be less than adjusted adults. Those in the position of law application need to adjust and do what they can to inform and grow wise children into adults also without taking a big hammer to a small nail, i.e., too big a tool will ruin for a lifetime. Unfortunately, those big hammers feel that is best when it comes making lessons known.
Very well said. We need to get to the problem at the personal level, and at home. We should not rely on the court system to “adjust” someone’s life. It is based on punishment, not recovery. We are human and make poor choices, but should the punishment be banishment for life?
No, @Craig, punishment by oneself upon oneself is enough. A lesson learned will most likely be carried forward the rest of one’s days. There are exceptions to that as there is always, but you don’t let the exceptions ruin it for the rest who are doing what they need to do.
As the Quakers did with penitence, it was for rehabilitation and considering one’s crime to learn from, not be beaten about it for the rest of their days. (https://www.quakersintheworld.org/quakers-in-action/20/Crime-and-Justice)
I say show minors the inside of a real jail or prison, not what they see glamorized in video productions, or even experience something similar to it and they will have a lesson they will never forget.