X’s new stance: embracing pornography. How do we safeguard our kids?

X released a new policy June 4 stating that “you may share consensually produced and distributed adult nudity or sexual behavior, provided its properly labeled and not prominently displayed.”  X believes “users should be able to create, distribute and consume material related to sexual themes as long as it is consensually produced and distributed.” “Sexual expression, whether visual or written, can be a legitimate for of artistic expression.  We believe in the autonomy of adults to engage with and create content that reflects their own beliefs, desires and experiences, including those related to sexuality.”

For the purposes of this post, I am going to address how this affects our kids and how we can safeguard them from exposure.  I would be remiss however if I did not touch on the other obvious issues with the above statement issued by X.  X does not have a way to prove that the videos and content being shared were created with consent.  They cannot prove it is not an underage victim in the videos or pictures.  These are issues that have a long history with people who fight against pornography platforms for those very reasons.  This alone is incredibly disturbing.  I logged onto X and the vast amount of videos that were spilling in just 24 hours after this announcement was mind boggling.  Every second a new one posted with new websites attached.  X will never be able to keep up with their “rules for safety” simply due to the sheer number of videos and pictures being posted.  Case in point, I logged back on 12 hours later and many of the videos I saw the night before had been censored, but more videos were taking their place.  I also created a fake account as a 14 year old girl, and I was able to access pornography with 2 clicks.  Full frontal.  So let’s break this down.

I will agree with X on one point, it is an adult platform. It is not meant for kids and teens.  But it is also their responsibility to put protections in place where children cannot easily access the content.  Meaning, if you want to make something for adults, great.  Adults can navigate their own interests.  But is the responsibility of X to make a platform safe BEFORE they launch it to the public.  Can adults access it? Yes.  Can kids?  No.  Whatever that looks like is what needs to occur.  Currently the only fail safe in place is you must list your birthdate to access X.  If you provide a birthdate younger than 18, then X has stated it will not provide or allow that person to see or have access to pornographic content.  See my comment in the second paragraph here and you will notice that has been an immediate fail.  There are no parental controls on X.  Again because it is considered an adult app.  So the only thing standing between your kid and a twitter education on porn and sexuality is a fake birthday.  Read that again.  They download the app.  They enter their name and birthdate.  Immediate access.  And kids KNOW not to use their actual birthdate.  Why?  Because they have been lying on all the other apps that state they are age gated.  Kids. Are. Not. Stupid. If they know it is there, and they know it is easy access, they will look.  Because they are kids.  And they are curious.  And these social media giants are failing our youth.  Miserably.  In the name of “adult rights”.

We know that our youth are experiencing a mental health crisis.  Teens are still forming their sense of self and developing values and beliefs.  Exposure to explicit content on sites like X can lead to confusion, distorted views of sexuality, and body image issues.  Pornography often portrays unrealistic and exaggerated depictions of sex and relationships. Teenagers who are exposed to this content may develop unrealistic expectations about sex, intimacy, and body image, which can negatively impact their future relationships and sexual experiences.

Pornography can also be addictive.  I cannot tell you the number of young adults I spoke with that have battled this addiction.  And it started as a pre-teen often times due to easy access.

What can we do as parents?  Do not allow your child to have X.  Until they are 18.  If you have an athlete in your home and they are using it to get recognized by coaches, keep strict guidelines in place.  Such as they can only use it to post sports information or to contact specific coaches.  And then they get off of the app.  Make sure the birthday is set to their correct year.  I do not recommend using their specific date of birth or birth month for safety reasons.  But the correct year will help to weed out the pornography.  It will not contain it all.  Have hard conversations.  If they are going to be on the app, we must have the hard conversations around what they may see, and how they should navigate their own thoughts/behavior if they are exposed to the content.  Do your random device checks.  Block the app from their phone.

This feels like ten steps back.  As a parent it is not fair that we continue to have to fight to protect our children.  They deserve a child hood free of exposure.  They deserve a childhood that allows and supports them being a kid. They deserve our protection.