The Internet has changed the way we access the world. This is especially true for kids, who soak up new technologies like eager little sponges. They have access to an enormous array of material, including educational links, sports info, chat rooms—and, unfortunately, pornography. But we must approach our need to protect children with care to avoid placing unnecessary restrictions on the many positive features of the Internet.
Youth, Pornography, and the Internet examines approaches to protecting children and teens from Internet pornography, threats from sexual predators operating on-line, and other inappropriate material on the Internet. The National Research Council's Computer Science and Telecommunications Board explores a number of fundamental questions: Who defines what is inappropriate material? Do we control Internet access by a 17-year-old in the same manner as for a 7-year-old? What is the role of technology and policy in solving such a problem in the context of family, community, and society?


The book discusses social and educational strategies, technological tools, and policy options for how to teach children to make safe and appropriate decisions about what they see and experience on the Internet. It includes lessons learned from case studies of community efforts to intervene in kids' exposure to Internet porn.


Providing a foundation for informed debate, this very timely and relevant book will be a must-read for a variety of audiences.


Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
1. Introduction
2. Technology
3. The Adult Online Entertainment Industry
4. Legal and Regulatory Issues
5. Children, Media, and Exposure to Sexually Explicit Material
6. The Research Base on the Impact of Exposure to Sexually Explicit Material: What Theory and Empirical Studies Offer
7. Beyond the Science: Perspectives on Impact and the Public Debate
8. Approaches to Protection from Inappropriate Material
9. Legal and Regulatory Tools
10. Social and Educational Strategies to Develop Personal and Community Responsibility
11. A Perspective on Technology-Based Tools
12. Technology-Based Tools for Users
13. Technology-Based Tools Available to Non-End Users
14. Findings, Conclusions, and Future Needs
Appendix A: Information-Gathering Sessions of the Committee
Appendix B: Glossary and Acronyms
Appendix C: Selected Technology Issues
Appendix D: Site Visit Synthesis
Appendix E: Biographies
Index