More kids see X-rated pics on Twitter than PornHub – let’s take on tech giants

CHILDREN are more likely to view X-rated images on Twitter than any other digital platform – even websites such as PornHub.

A shocking report by the Children’s Commissioner for England revealed today that 41 per cent of our kids are accessing porn on social media.

Even more disturbing is evidence that easy access to violent sexual content is spilling over into the sex lives of the young.

Almost half of the youngsters aged 18-21 who took part in the survey had ­experienced a “sexually violent act”, such as “airway restriction”, in real life.

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said: “One girl told me that when she had her first kiss at the age of 12, her boyfriend strangled her because he had seen it online and thought it was normal.”

Those who were watching porn at least twice a week were far more likely to be victims of such extreme behaviour than infrequent viewers.

While almost two-thirds of the porn stars facing staged violence were women, less than a third were men.

The Children’s Commissioner, whose role is to protect the rights of children in England, surveyed one thousand people aged 16-21 and held two focus groups with teenagers aged 13-19.

The results showed that ten per cent of children had seen porn by the age of nine and more than a quarter of 11-year-olds had been exposed to it.

Twitter and most other social media sites set an age limit of 13 for signing up, but do not require proof of users’ date of birth.

On turning 13, half of children have viewed sexually explicit content.

Now Dame Rachel is calling on the ­Government to strengthen the Online Safety Bill which is still waiting to pass through Parliament almost two years since the draft bill was published.

Here, she explains why urgent action is needed to protect children online.

This isn’t top-shelf mags, this is nasty, writes Dame Rachel D’Souza

The first kiss that anyone experiences should be a tender and sweet moment.

But the unfettered access to violent pornography, which allows our youngsters is changing how this nation experiences relationships.

We once had a large number of children into the Department for Education and asked them what they wished their parents had known.

One girl told me that when she had her first kiss at the age of 12, her boyfriend strangled her because he had seen it online and thought it was normal.

I also remember speaking to a boy aged around eight who was really upset about seeing pornography because he didn’t know what it was.

I was able to explain to him that it was not real, that it was people acting. Online pornography is changing expectations and affecting both boys and girls.

Boys are trying to live up to unrealistic material promoted on these adult sites and girls are thinking that’s what they have to agree to.

Parents would be shocked if they knew what young people are logging on to see or are being sent by others.

It is not the top shelf pornography from their youth, this is really nasty material such as choking and slapping and rape.

I am worried about the amount of people who have seen sexual violence before they turn 18.

It is changing their understanding of what a healthy relationship is.

This survey shows the average age for first viewing adult material online is 13, which means many are seeing at eight or nine or ten.

At the top of primary school, a ­quarter of pupils have seen this sexually explicit content.

Where do they see it? On adult sites but also Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.

Tech companies need to get this off their sites.

Tech firm fines

Many adults are surprised when we show them what kind of adult material can be viewed on Twitter.

Pages have been up for many months without being removed.

I am pleased to see big tech companies, such as Facebook and Twitter, have come under the scope of the Online Safety Bill.

But I do want greater accountability from these companies, which have failed to properly self-regulate.

They know how children older than 13 are accessing their sites.

It is not like in 2017 when the artificial intelligence wasn’t very good, because it is now so smart we can keep children safe without impinging on adult freedoms.

Big tech firms need to be blocking children who are too young and taking down the X-rated material.

Having spoken to parents whose children have lost their lives due to what they have viewed online it is clear the time for change is long overdue.

The Online Safety Bill should ensure tech companies are fined and face criminal responsibility if they do not keep our children safe.

We need the bill to come into effect as soon as possible.