Pro-porn Childline film encouraging kids to google BDSM etc

[Sunkisses]

Jeez, just seen this from the Safe Schools Alliance UK on twitter. Six years ago Childline produced this pro-porn film which is basically an advert for PornHub masquerading as a child protection resource. It tells children that porn is "fun" & recommends genres like BDSM to google. It's had over 3 million views in the last 6 years, and goodness knows how much it has contributed to the rape culture we are now seeing in schools. It is illegal for under 18s to view porn, and children should be taught this and the harms of pornography, not encouraged to view it with a nod, nod, wink, wink attitude.

You can view the Safe Schools Alliance UK tweet here: twitter.com/SafeSchools_UK/status/1379528765261381634

SSAUK are calling on Childline and the NSPCC (who run Childline) to take this film down.

The Government should bring in age-verification for online porn ASAP to prevent children having easy access to online porn. All the laws have been passed, and the regulatory framework is in place. The Government bottled it at the last minute in 2019 after facing pressure from the powerful porn industry. Our children deserve better.

I can't believe they called it fapz. Some weirdo has done that for a laugh and then come up with a contrived set of words for it to 'stand for'.

I've read books in the children's section of the library which do the same, it's shocking and deeply concerning that what was a children's helpline that was set up to give children who were being abused or at risk a chance to find help themselves has descended into producing pro-porn stuff for kids. It is non-contact sexual abuse and those pushing it from within the organisation should have their hard drives checked.

It's like Stonewall, Oxfam etc and how they use their established reputation to fool people. Luckily we are wise to this now.

I wonder what Esther Rantzen would say? Maybe even the charities commission is worth a call, as toothless as they are.

For those who say kids watch porn anyway and really there's no point in trying to stop them as it's just what kids do makes me wonder if the NSPCC should produce an education video on how to roll spliffs or how to safely heat heroine in a spoon without burning yourself.

she says as she daintily presses the prize pearls to her décolletage...

@AlwaysLatte

Whaaat? With our strict router settings though they'd never manage to see any of it, thankfully.

I appreciate the thread has moved on from this comment but I think it's really important to note that routers and standard porn filters can't protect everything.

You also need to manually block certain sites. Reddit is a prime example. Even with the website blocked, if your child downloads the Reddit app, all the hardcore NSFW subs are freely available as it bypasses the porn filter. The change in legislation age verification wouldn't stop this either.

There are plenty of other apps and sites that use the same methods as Reddit to fly under the filters, that's why they are so popular and why we, as parents, need to be hyper vigilant to this.

For those who say kids watch porn anyway and really there's no point in trying to stop them as it's just what kids do makes me wonder if the NSPCC should produce an education video on how to roll spliffs or how to safely heat heroine in a spoon without burning yourself.

she says asshedaintily pressesthe prize pearls toher décolletage...

Exactly, people do all sorts of things "anyway". Shall we just accept those things instead? Make them legal? That argument doesn't make any sense.

@OhHolyJesus the Pearl clutching comments really piss me off. Classic way of shaming and potentially silencing people who raise safeguarding concerns.

I saw a tweet that I now can't find that listed the top porn hub searches or videos (again can't remember) and top of the list by a mile was statutory rape.

Plus obvious other rather horrid abusive and illegal titles.

The guy in the video also talks about how he's been there - kids admire YouTubers. He's saying "don't do it" - hmm, yeah, like that's gonna work.

(If anyone knows of the tweets which had an image of a list, it's worth sharing, I think the writing was in red iirc.)

There are a lot of reasons you might want to share porn. You might want to watch porn with a boyfriend or girlfriend, trade porn or share porn with a friend as a joke

For Childline to

Say you can share porn without risking prosecution (for under 18yo) is completely irresponsible

Say it can be shared as a joke means they think porn is funny

Say you can 'trade' porn - it's not swapsies - what is this the 2021 version of a sticker album or football cards?

Unbelievable!

Thank goodness we have SSA and others bringing this to the attention of parents.

He says "you're 18 right?" And a young child's voice replies...

It's a joke but it's really not funny when 12 year olds or younger have sexually assaulted girls in school.

I can't believe someone is on here effectively defending children's right to access porn and we're all silly Pearl clutchers to object to it. Honestly.

We talk to our kids about it, thanks. What we don't need is a video of a man saying he wished he looked like a porn star, providing a list of porn categories to look up and giving us all a wink wink about accessing it. It is literally encouraging children to look at porn. And you're defending it.

And you think 'there are gay teenagers' is some sort of powerful 'gotcha'. Spectacularly missing the point.

@GoToSleepBabyPlease

I can't believe they called it fapz. Some weirdo has done that for a laugh and then come up with a contrived set of words for it to 'stand for'.

It’s like a Brass Eye episode.

I haven't watched the video, I've read your descriptions and I don't want to see it based on that. My DD is only a toddler but how terrifying to think that even an organisation like Childline, who supported me immensely with severe mental health issues as a teen, is putting out these kinds of dangerous messaging to young people about sexual exploitation. Really scary.

How does the whole "it's OK kids to share porn" stack up with this?

www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/30/thousands-of-children-under-14-have-been-investigated-by-police-for-sexting

given this:

www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/dec/14/pornhub-purge-removes-unverified-videos-investigation-child-abuse

Again, gay teenagers exist. Not all porn includes women

I believe it was DrEm (?) who did an analysis of porn on porn hub and looked at the difference between gay porn (men) and hetero porn.

Basic premise was that there was kissing and tenderness in gay porn, fear and physical and emotional abuse, no kissing in hetero porn.

Does anyone know why no steps have been taken to prevent porn from being available unless someone has proven they are over a certain age?

I thought something had been planned for 2019?

In my opinion the fact that it is more or less inevitable very young children and teens are likely to see it is child sexual abuse.

It is also horrendous that, as someone pointed out, people’s own imaginations are no longer considered adequate. They seems to be an unwritten understanding that porn watching is a ‘right’ regardless of what is entailed.

So how do we get Childline to remove it? Is there a petition? Children need to be informed and aware but this is wrong. Breach of safeguarding in my opinion.

We don't.

These pages and the content have been discussed on here before and people complained.

There is a lot of dodgy stuff on childline site iirc.

The video- dunno. Use contact us on the childline site and put the link and tell them why it's shit.

I doubt they will do anything.

This is a massive breach of safeguarding. Jeez. It's never ending.

Me too @2fallsagain

Classic way of shaming and potentially silencing people who raise safeguarding concerns.

It's all a bit Mary Whitehouse isn't it? Like we are the bad guys for what...?

If it's between being called a prude for not letting (or worse encouraging) children from accessing porn or trying to be the 'cool parent' whose kids end up with horrific first experience of sex being modelled on porn, or having their sexual boundaries removed and being choked during sex, I think I'm pretty happy to stick to the pearls.

For those asking what to do:

Can I suggest you all email [email protected] and copy in [email protected]

@NiceGerbil

FAPZ???!!!

What is childnet?

Anyway not watched the video BUT did Google and look at childline site.

Current advice includes

'Lots of people watch porn, which is okay. But it’s also okay if you don’t want to watch it, or if you’re not sure. It’s important to remember that porn is made for adults.'

'Whether it affects other parts of your life
If porn is stopping you from spending time with friends, family or enjoying other things then it can help to take a break from watching it.'

'Finding out that someone you care about watches porn can be shocking sometimes, especially if it’s a family member or someone you’re in a relationship with.'

'Watching porn when you’re under 18 isn’t against the law and you shouldn’t have to feel worried or ashamed about it. You won’t get in trouble if you watch it yourself.'

'There are a lot of reasons you might want to share porn. You might want to watch porn with a boyfriend or girlfriend, trade porn or share porn with a friend as a joke'

For info... 'Childline is here to help anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through.'

Ok so 17 18 yo is different to 6yo. But the stuff above seems to me to be aimed at an older age group.

The adverts usually show younger children calling for help.

I doubt many 18 year olds would think of childline if they had a problem they'd be looking at resources for adults surely.

So in the context that it's for primary, and secondary, all the way through.

How does that advice sound.

!!!! I'm gobsmacked.

@OhHolyJesus

Me too *@2fallsagain*

Classic way of shaming and potentially silencing people who raise safeguarding concerns.

It's all a bit Mary Whitehouse isn't it? Like we are the bad guys for what...?

If it's between being called a prude for not letting (or worse encouraging) children from accessing porn or trying to be the 'cool parent' whose kids end up with horrific first experience of sex being modelled on porn, or having their sexual boundaries removed and being choked during sex, I think I'm pretty happy to stick to the pearls.

That comment gave even me momentary pause - and it takes a lot to make me shut up (plus I do, as anyone who has picked up anything about me would expect , wear pearls)

Two things: urgh that video is just inappropriate but is there evidence it is childline promoted or sponsored?

The odious little guy who made it could easily have linked to childline and there certainly isn’t any evidence on their website now that they are promoting this.

@MsAnnFrope

Two things: urgh that video is just inappropriate but is there evidence it is childline promoted or sponsored?

The odious little guy who made it could easily have linked to childline and there certainly isn’t any evidence on their website now that they are promoting this.

It says on the drop down information it is sponsored by Childline

It chimes with their website:

Page for "ages 12+"

"Lots of people watch porn, which is okay."

For 12 year olds?

www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/online-mobile-safety/online-porn/

Includes a section on sharing porn:

"There are a lot of reasons you might want to share porn. You might want to watch porn with a boyfriend or girlfriend, trade porn or share porn with a friend as a joke"

Not a single mention of the exploitation of women and girls behind porn. Nothing about trafficking and rape of minors (see previous posts about pornhub), Or the degree to which porn increasingly degrades women. All very jolly. Flippant. Superficial.

Also has advice on visiting porn sites (NB it's illegal to sell porn to under 18s)

As someone who teaches sexual health to young people I see no issue with this content! It explains exactly what porn is and has a healthy discussion around it 🤍

Think I'll be using this in future classes.