Does 'rape culture' accurately describe (many) societies?

[Myriad]

You have lost the plot big time....and you ignored my question (though we already know the answer because you have said that it is puritanical to withhold porn from 13-18s).

Pretty radical.

What, you think "you support some fairly commonplace thing so you must support every extreme variety of the same thing in all cases" is a stupid game? Well, I completely agree. But it's the stupid game you came here to play.

I think there's no harm in a seventeen year old looking at an old Playboy centerfold (clearly porn by your definition), so you immediately ask about thirteen year olds and bukkake. And then, you refuse to specify and explain the harm, even though you've chosen an extreme case to make the harm seem more severe and apparent. So tell me, what happens when a thirteen year old looking for something to masturbate to (because they're not going to just stumble on bukkake doing their homework on the Internet) finds some bukkake?

 

[Skeptical Greg]

I keep waiting for evidence supporting the claim that porn is bad. But all I hear is crickets. It's addicting? So what? That just means that people like it. Like chocolate maybe? Do people suffer withdrawal? Seriously, what is the problem? Does it cause cancer or other deadly diseases?

I heard it would make you go blind, but I figured I would stop when I needed glasses.

 

[acbytesla]

What, you think "you support some fairly commonplace thing so you must support every extreme variety of the same thing in all cases" is a stupid game? Well, I completely agree. But it's the stupid game you came here to play.

I think there's no harm in a seventeen year old looking at an old Playboy centerfold (clearly porn by your definition), so you immediately ask about thirteen year olds and bukkake. And then, you refuse to specify and explain the harm, even though you've chosen an extreme case to make the harm seem more severe and apparent. So tell me, what happens when a thirteen year old looking for something to masturbate to (because they're not going to just stumble on bukkake doing their homework on the Internet) finds some bukkake?

There is nothing about porn that good parenting can't address. And by that I mean talking to your kids about porn, sex and relationships as early as 8. It's the dumbass parents that pretend that teenagers, even preteen children aren't going to be curious about sex. Or that they tell them it's bad and dirty and they will go to hell if they mastrurbate, fornicate or look at porn. Abstinence only doesn't work.

 

[arthwollipot]

You were referring to 13-18s (I assume you mean under 18).

There's actually a rather large difference between 13 and 18. Puberty, for one. I've known some 14 year olds who were more emotionally mature than some 25 year olds.

There is nothing about porn that good parenting can't address. And by that I mean talking to your kids about porn, sex and relationships as early as 8. It's the dumbass parents that pretend that teenagers, even preteen children aren't going to be curious about sex. Or that they tell them it's bad and dirty and they will go to hell if they mastrurbate, fornicate or look at porn. Abstinence only doesn't work.

Say it again: Abstinence only doesn't work.

 

[Poem]

What, you think "you support some fairly commonplace thing so you must support every extreme variety of the same thing in all cases" is a stupid game? Well, I completely agree. But it's the stupid game you came here to play.

Not at all. The article referenced porn and you posted that it would be puritanical to deny 13 year olds and over access:

The article you referenced is specifically about people over the age of thirteen and under eighteen. If you think porn is the main or a major part of the toxicity of online culture for that age group, then you're objecting to people with maturing and mature genitals, genitals that menstruate and ejaculate and cause orgasm when masturbated, sometimes being able to see pictures of genitals despite not being allowed to see pictures of genitals. This is puritanical nonsense.

I also asked you to clarify and you said nothing that changed what I assumed was your plain meaning.

I think there's no harm in a seventeen year old looking at an old Playboy centerfold (clearly porn by your definition), so you immediately ask about thirteen year olds and bukkake.

No, you clearly stated 13 year olds.

And then, you refuse to specify and explain the harm, even though you've chosen an extreme case to make the harm seem more severe and apparent.

No, the harms have been repeatedly laid out on this thread....ad nauseam.

So tell me, what happens when a thirteen year old looking for something to masturbate to (because they're not going to just stumble on bukkake doing their homework on the Internet) finds some bukkake?

Children can and do stumble on porn. I posted just yesterday: "TikTok isn't just failing to prevent children from accessing inappropriate content - it's suggesting it to them as soon as they create an account".

I have repeatedly posted that children can and do act out what they see in porn. Why wouldn't they? I mean, they can watch barely legal, incest (and rule 34 in fact). As you stated, they are getting off on this stuff.

 

[arthwollipot]

No, the harms have been repeatedly laid out on this thread....ad nauseam.

No, they have not. You have consistently wishy-washied around the question. It takes practice to be that vague.

Children can and do stumble on porn.

Have you? Have you ever accidentally stumbled on porn on any platform? I haven't. I have to go looking for it. I have to know what I want, and I have to search for it, even on Twitter and Reddit.

I have repeatedly posted that children can and do act out what they see in porn. Why wouldn't they?

I have repeatedly posted that what people see in movies does not affect their behaviour in any meaningful way. And I've backed this up with science.

 

[Helen]

So what should we do about kids under the age of 18 who are having sex irl? Should we make it illegal unless they are blindfolded, so that they can't witness the actual act? Or is it only toxic and damaging if you watch others doing it?

Yes, I know that I'm being silly, but so's this thread.

 

[arthwollipot]

So what should we do about kids under the age of 18 who are having sex irl? Should we make it illegal unless they are blindfolded, so that they can't witness the actual act? Or is it only toxic and damaging if you watch others doing it?

It's important to add that the age of consent in most places is below 18 (subject to some age-difference and authority position based limitations). In most states of the US, the UK, Canada, and most of Australia, the age of consent is 16 . In France and Denmark it's 15, in Germany it's 14.

So we're in the weird position that young people are permitted to engage in consensual sexual activity, but they're not permitted to watch it on a screen.

Reminds me of the fact that in some parts of the United States it has been illegal to pay someone for sex - unless you turn on a camera and publish it as pornography.

 

[Helen]

It's 15 in Sweden (or a little younger if both participants are of similar age).

 

[Darat]

I heard it would make you go blind, but I figured I would stop when I needed glasses.

I do find shaving my palms a bit of a hassle.

 

[Darat]

So what should we do about kids under the age of 18 who are having sex irl? Should we make it illegal unless they are blindfolded, so that they can't witness the actual act? Or is it only toxic and damaging if you watch others doing it?

Yes, I know that I'm being silly, but so's this thread.

It does seem perverse to me to be using 18 as the cut off age when the age of consent in the UK is 16 and 16 will soon be the age at which you can vote throughout the UK.

 

[Darat]

No, they have not. You have consistently wishy-washied around the question. It takes practice to be that vague.


Have you? Have you ever accidentally stumbled on porn on any platform? I haven't. I have to go looking for it. I have to know what I want, and I have to search for it, even on Twitter and Reddit.


I have repeatedly posted that what people see in movies does not affect their behaviour in any meaningful way. And I've backed this up with science.

Even when using the likes of Google and Duckduckgo searches for research in this very thread, so was using terms like age of consent, what age can you make porn, affects of pornography I never once was offered up a porn site, at least on the first page of search results. I've asked before for evidence that kids (or anyone else) can "accidentally" stumble across pornography.

 

[Poem]

Even when using the likes of Google and Duckduckgo searches for research in this very thread, so was using terms like age of consent, what age can you make porn, affects of pornography I never once was offered up a porn site, at least on the first page of search results. I've asked before for evidence that kids (or anyone else) can "accidentally" stumble across pornography.

TikTok recommends porn to children, says report:
In late July and early August this year, researchers from campaign group Global Witness set up four accounts on TikTok pretending to be 13-year-olds. They used false dates of birth and were not asked to provide any other information to confirm their identities. They also turned on the platform's "restricted mode", which TikTok says prevents users seeing "mature or complex themes, such as… sexually suggestive content".

Without doing any searches themselves, investigators found overtly sexualised search terms being recommended in the "you may like" section of the app. Those search terms led to content of women simulating masturbation. Other videos showed women flashing their underwear in public places or exposing their breasts. At its most extreme, the content included explicit pornographic films of penetrative sex.

 

[Poem]

Global Witness (3rd October 2025):
TikTok's search algorithm directs new 13-year-old users to porn, in apparent breach of new UK law

 

[Poem]

X is the worst offender when it comes to children seeing porn. Looks like TikTok does a good job of serving up such content to kids too. Companies like Pornhub should be facing crippling financial liabilities - according to the FTC.

The OSA echoes the UK's ratification of the UNCRC to keep children safe online - but it looks like porn access remains of first importance.

 

[arthwollipot]

Yeah, no-one's disputing that Xitter sucks.

 

[Poem]

Yeah, no-one's disputing that Xitter sucks.

Okay, so why do you continue to portray Pornhub as a paragon of virtue reputable and law-abiding? Are you 18? Yes....isn't the actions of a responsible company.

 

[acbytesla]

No, they have not. You have consistently wishy-washied around the question. It takes practice to be that vague.

Have you? Have you ever accidentally stumbled on porn on any platform? I haven't. I have to go looking for it. I have to know what I want, and I have to search for it, even on Twitter and Reddit.

It use to. happen. Twenty years ago.

 

[Poem]

In response to;

Children around the world are watching porn...on the internet. They can accidentally stumble upon it. That happens on X a lot. Musk is THE worst offender.

See the repeatedly cited reports from the UK's Children's Commissioner.

You posted:

Who as I have said is a priori moralistically biased against porn due to her Catholic faith and values, and who bases her opinions on the self-reports of children who are psychologically motivated by shame and guilt to lie about their intentions.

You can't accidentally stumble across porn*. Even on X formerly known as Twitter I had to actually go looking for it, using specific search terms. I have been on Twitter since 2008, when one posted by sending an SMS message from your phone to a particular number. In all that time I have never - never once - accidentally stumbled across porn. You are being lied to. And yes, you are being lied to by the UK Commissioner, whose word you apparently take as gospel.

*I mean I guess it's not impossible, but it's certainly not as common as is being suggested.

Do you accept that TikTok serves up sexual content in the 'you may like' section to kids? In what way does X suck?

 

[dirtywick]

Okay, so why do you continue to portray Pornhub as a paragon of virtue reputable and law-abiding? Are you 18? Yes....isn't the actions of a responsible company.

it seems to me you keep citing evidence of porn on social media sites and blaming it on porn hub