A recent study by the British digital outlet LADbible indicates that pornography serves as a significant source of sexual education for numerous young individuals. Conducted in September with ResearchBods, the study revealed that 45% of around 5,300 UK participants aged 18-29 view porn as a primary source of sexual information. Seventy percent of Generation Z men noted that porn was their initial encounter with sex, and 77% expressed a desire for more resources to comprehend both porn and sexual matters.

Sixty-three percent of those surveyed had accessed pornography prior to turning 16, with 5% engaging before the age of 10. Among those who began viewing before age 10, fewer than 3% became daily consumers.

This survey aligns with the debut of For F*ck’s Sake Productions, a digital studio initiated by LADbible aimed at creating sexual education materials for young adults. Collaborators include musician and actor Jordan Stephens, the sex education organization Fumble, the men’s health charity Movember, and the self-guided therapy initiative Pivotal Recovery.

Pivotal Recovery references “porn addiction” on its site, although it is not acknowledged by the DSM-5. A 2015 study published in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors proposed that the perceived addiction to porn is psychologically burdensome, rather than the act of consuming porn itself. This is mirrored in the survey results, where half of the men expressed concern about excessive porn usage and 34% admitted to feeling guilty after viewing it.

“Porn is a divisive topic. It grabs attention, half of us rely on it for sexual education, and we constantly measure ourselves against what is portrayed on those screens,” stated Stephens. He and his collaborators aim to “address the reality of porn.”

More than 77% of those surveyed consume porn regularly, while 12% have never viewed it.

The collaboration between LADbible and its partners is urging the UK government to tackle the effects of porn on young adults, proposing mandatory sex and relationship education by experts for those aged 16-18, along with additional resources like a national helpline or online platform.

As per the UK government’s website, relationships and sex education was made compulsory for all secondary school students in 2020.

“Porn can be an enjoyable way to discover sexuality, but it poses issues when mainstream porn influences perceptions of genuine sexual intimacy,” commented Lucy Whitehouse, CEO of Fumble. “It is crucial to clarify what is real and assist young individuals in safely exploring their sexuality.”