5 Remarkable Victories in the War Against the Porn Industry

Finally some good news! Today’s parents are well aware that kids face digital dangers at every turn. Thankfully, advocacy groups, lawmakers, influencers and parents are fighting to protect kids from online predators and porn. Today we’re excited to share 5 remarkable victories against the porn industry.

1. Age verification laws

Several states in 2023 have passed age verification laws that require porn site visitors to verify their age before being allowed access to porn sites. Louisiana was the first state in the US to enact one of these laws, followed by Utah, Arkansas, Texas, Montana, Mississippi, Virginia, with several other states pending. 

Louisiana legislator Laurie Schlegel is a trailblazer for age-verification legislation. Together with Gail Dines, she educated the bipartisan Louisiana caucus on the prevalence of porn available to kids online. Schlegel shared:

“People were shocked at Dr. Dines’ research and the type of pornography that kids can access on the internet and how it impacts them. You could see from their follow-up questions that they’d had no idea…many were appalled. Even some of my Democratic colleagues said, ‘How can we help you push this?’”

To learn more about Schlegel’s victory, click here, but be advised, there is explicit language in this article in the form of video titles and thumbnails that Schlegel warns any child can see by visiting the landing page of a porn site.

Predictably, there are legal challenges from the porn industry against these age-verification laws. They are not going quietly into the night, but it is encouraging to see legislative action to protect kids so parents don’t shoulder all of the responsibility of shielding children from this billion-dollar industry.

2. Apple blurs nudity in messages

Apple’s newest safety setting helps protect your child from viewing AND sharing photos or videos that contain nudity by blurring inappropriate images received over Messages, AirDrop, FaceTime video messages, and when your child selects a photo or video to share in some third-party apps. 

If Apple’s Communication Safety detects that a child receives or is attempting to send this type of photo or video iPhone will:

• blur the photo or video before your child can view it,
• provide resources to help them make a safe choice, including contacting a trusted individual, and
• report the event to the head of the family group.

Tackle the tech! Visit our Instagram page for step-by-step instructions to set it up.  iOS 17 is required for this feature, make sure your device is updated. 

Related: Porn on an Apple Watch?! How Clever Kids Find It and How You Can Block It

3. Google blurs and filters explicit images

Google will now automatically filter explicit images on Google Images when SafeSearch is turned on. Now only those who want to view explicit images will be able to, but only after they opt-in to see it. 

NCOSE explained that previously Google offered this protection on accounts of users under the age of 18. However, this newest feature will protect many more children from seeing porn on Google Images since many kids visit Google without being logged into any account, lie about their age on their accounts, or may use Google while logged in on someone else’s account.

Google states it will default to the ‘Filter’ setting and block explicit images on accounts that it thinks belong to a user under the age of 18 (when SafeSearch is turned on). 

There are 3 Google SafeSearch settings that parents should be aware of:

1. 'Filter' blocks any detected explicit content. 
2. 'Blur' blurs explicit images but explicit text and links will still show. This is the default setting for all accounts.
3. 'Off' allows all relevant results to appear, even if they are explicit.

Tackle the tech! For step-by-step instructions to manage these SafeSearch settings, visit our Instagram post here.

Related: Canopy Internet Filter: A New Way to Block Porn Using AI

4. UK passes Online Safety Bill 

The Online Safety Bill was passed in the British Parliament in September, 2023. Online platforms, including social media, will now be responsible for and mandated to remove illegal content, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), cyber-flashing, and “deepfake” porn. Placing this duty of care on tech firms instead of parents is a great leap forward in protecting children. 

A press release from the UK Government details that social media platforms will be expected to:

• remove illegal content quickly or prevent it from appearing in the first place, including content promoting self-harm
• prevent children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content
• enforce age limits and age-checking measures
• ensure the risks and dangers posed to children on the largest social media platforms are more transparent, including by publishing risk assessments
• provide parents and children with clear and accessible ways to report problems online when they do arise

While this bill is similar to the U.S. age verification laws mentioned earlier, it goes a step further to include social media companies, making them responsible for content hosted on their platforms that could harm children. 

UK Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said:

“The Online Safety Bill is a game-changing piece of legislation. Today, this government is taking an enormous step forward in our mission to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online.”

Though we are unlikely to see a similar bill in the US unless Section 230 (a law protecting social media companies from content posted by users) is reformed, we celebrate this victory for our UK friends.

Related: 5 Proven Ways Porn Harms Kids that No One Talks About

5. Product innovation: software and hardware

This point is different from the others as it isn’t a legislative or Big Tech move against the porn industry. Rather we acknowledge the companies who recognize that the powerful, billion-dollar porn industry is too much for parents to take on by themselves, and have innovated products to keep kids safer online. We have featured many of these products in past articles. Here are a few of our favorites that are making a difference, though there are many more on the market.

Software

• Bark parental controls and filtering
• Canopy AI based image blocking software

Hardware 

• Gryphon router
• NETGEAR routers with built in Smart Parental Controls

Phones

• Gabb
• Pinwheel
• Bark
• Troomi
• MMGuardian

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Secret weapon: involved parents

None of these victories would be possible without the dedication of involved parents who are well-informed and committed to protecting their kids. 

While Big Tech, governments, and corporations are making strides, nothing can replace the internal filter that kids need to employ when harmful content gets by the external filters. Parents have a super power in defending their kids against porn by having open and regular conversations with kids, starting when children are old enough to hold a device in their hands. 

When it comes to discussing this sensitive topic with your child, you’re not alone. The Good Pictures Bad Pictures book series is a valuable resource to facilitate age-appropriate conversations with kids about what pornography is, why it’s harmful, and how to reject it. These bestselling books give kids a definition, a warning and a plan–3 defenses every kid deserves.

Your personal Digital Victory Plan

What can you do to be victorious in your own family and community?

• Get the facts: Make sure you follow our articles and social media posts to stay current on the latest trends, threats and tools. Download our free How to Talk to Kids about Pornography here. 
• Arm the kids: Give your children digital defense skills so they’re not caught off guard. Read them Good Pictures Bad Pictures books starting at the age of 3 or whenever they have access to internet-enabled devices.
• Continue the conversations: Keep talking! Let Brain Defense: Digital Safety help you educate your kids and keep the convos going with conversation prompts for each fun lesson. 

Related: Today’s Porn Industry: 5 Things Every Parent Needs to Know

A Safer Future

With these 5 victories, the collective efforts of parents, legislators, and technology innovators are gradually building a safer online world for our children. A world where they can explore and learn without the threat of exploitation. Together, we are rewriting the future of internet safety for the next generation.