New study by Medienanstalt NRWChildren watch porn earlier and send sexting messages more often

Almost half of all children and young people say they have already seen porn - according to a recent representative survey by the NRW Media Authority. We provide information on the most important results and offer educational professionals, parents and young people educational materials.

Children watch porn earlier and send sexting messages more often

Today, children and young people come into contact with porn well before they reach the age of majority. What's more, they are increasingly producing and sending pornographic material themselves. This phenomenon is known as sexting and was addressed in the representative survey conducted by Medienanstalt NRW, in which almost 3,000 children and young people aged 11-17 were questioned, as were their experiences with porn. 

The survey was first conducted in 2023. In 2024, significantly more children and young people stated that they had already seen porn (2024: 42%, 2023: 35%). This increase can only be seen among boys and girls aged 11-13 (from 19% (2023) to 26% (2024)). Among 14-17-year-old girls, it is decreasing (from 45% (2023) to 42% (2024)), while among boys it has remained the same (59%). 

What is particularly surprising is the young age at which first contact with porn takes place - usually between the ages of 12 and 15.Contact is often involuntary or accidental. This age range is the same as for first-time sexting. And the vast majority of children and young people find it difficult to classify what they have seen. Only just over a quarter of respondents (28%) who have seen porn rate porn as unrealistic; in 2023, the figure was even higher at around a third (2023: 33%). 

Is there a link between early porn consumption and sexting? 

A causal relationship between early porn consumption and contact with self-created pornographic material, i.e. sexting, cannot be proven. However, the suspicion is reasonable. Almost half of the respondents (42%) who stated that they had seen porn and sexting said that they were inspired by porn for their sexting behavior . In other words, respondents incorporate what they discover in porn into their own behavior. 

In 2024, a quarter of respondents stated that they had already received a sexting message(2024: 25%, 2023: 21%). Here, too, the contact is not necessarily voluntary, with more than three quarters (79%) having received the message unsolicited. In addition, the recipients of sexting messages are often not personally known to the senders. Respondents are more likely to send sexting messages to people they do not know personally(2024: 27%, 2023: 11%). The same applies to the forwarding of porn (2024: 28%, 2023: 6%), where there has been a sharp increase. One possible reason for this is that children and young people are becoming more careless. The significant increase in the dominance of WhatsApp as a sexting platform (2024: 68%, 2023: 57%) suggests that the group chat function has led to a general increase in communication with people who are not personally known. A fact that may not be clear to every parent or teacher - and which once again calls for solutions from the platform industry. 

You can download the full study here. 

Educate people about pornography online - klicksafe has the right materials  

Together with numerous partners throughout Germany, we presented extensive campaigns and offers for young people, parents and educational professionals about pornography and sexual education online on Safer Internet Day 2024 under the motto "Let's talk about porn".

For parents:  

For young people: 

  • Knowledge quizzes: The new klicksafe quizzes provide young people aged 14 and over with knowledge about "Porn Myths" and "Sex, Diversity and Porn". 
  • Info card set: In five info cards, young people receive help with disturbing content, learn to recognize their own boundaries, reflect on porn myths and get to know good offers on the subject of sex education. 

For school lessons and extracurricular youth work: 

  • Teaching material: The completely revised klicksafe handbook "Let's talk about porn. Sexuality. Identity and Pornography" was developed in collaboration with pro familia Munich. It contains background information for teachers and specialists as well as specific practical projects and worksheets on the content modules "Life in puberty", "Ideals of beauty in our society", "Pornography online", "Sexualized violence and digital boundary violations". 
  • Video: Street survey "Let's talk about porn". klicksafe asked: Is watching porn okay? When did you first come into contact with pornography? How are women and men portrayed in porn? And how do you feel about young people under the age of 18 coming into contact with such content?