What parents need to know
41% of teens reported seeing pornography during the school day, and 44% of those saw it on school-issued devices. Your child’s school laptop may expose them to harmful content you never consented to.
Full Citation
Common Sense Media. (2022). Teens and Pornography. Research report on adolescent exposure to explicit content.
Publication Type
Research report by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization studying media’s impact on children
What They Studied
Common Sense Media surveyed teenagers about their exposure to pornographic content, including when and where such exposure occurred and what devices were used. The study specifically examined whether school-issued devices and school time were significant sources of exposure to inappropriate sexual content.
Key Findings
- 41% of teens reported seeing pornography during the school day
- Of those who saw pornography during school, 44% reported having seen it on school-issued devices
- School-issued devices intended for educational purposes are frequently used to access inappropriate content
- This finding raises serious questions about device monitoring, content filtering, and internet access policies
- Many schools provide devices with inadequate protections or filters
- The school day exposure suggests that classroom device use creates opportunities for accessing harmful content
- Parents typically assume school-issued devices have robust protections – this research shows many don’t
- The exposure rates are alarmingly high, indicating this is not a rare problem but a widespread issue
- School policies often focus on educational benefits of technology while failing to address significant risks
- Parents may be unaware that school devices expose children to content they would never permit at home
- The finding highlights that providing devices without comprehensive safeguards and monitoring can cause serious harm
- Schools have a responsibility to ensure devices they provide don’t expose children to inappropriate material
