Calls to ban ‘harmful pornography’ are rife. Here’s what teens actually think about porn

Young people recognise the benefit of accessing pornography as a source of knowledge, particularly when sex is not discussed in schools

Porn may offer more accessible and explicit representations of sex and bodies that schools cannot. Picture: PA

Pornography has been in the news a lot this year. It was at the centre of discussions for addressing violence against women back in May. Deepfake pornography has also been in the headlines.

The New South Wales government in Australia has announced the first state-led inquiry into the “impacts of harmful pornography”. The negative framing of the inquiry risks revisiting old arguments, rather than advancing the debate and policies.