FAQs: Sexual Content
Porn, CSAM, lolicon/shotacon, hentai and more
Sexual content and media, such as pornography, has been used for centuries as a way to explore fantasy and as a tool for sexual arousal. While there are different perspectives about whether porn is “ok,” the most important thing to consider is that porn and other types of sexually explicit pictures and videos should not be where anyone looks to answer questions about sex, sexuality or relationships.
If you choose to look at this type of content, it’s important to first understand more about the impacts and realities of what you are watching. That doesn’t mean all sexual content, like pornography, is bad; you just need to consider your own thoughts, behaviors and feelings.
Watching images of sex is not the same as having your first sexual experiences. Porn, for example, doesn’t show the complex feelings involved, the relationships beyond the sex, the reality of intimacy, or the challenges of navigating someone else’s body and their wants and desires. In most cases, these types of images and vids show paid actors or amateurs acting for the camera - not real relationships and not real sex.
Anyone choosing to watch these images should have a basic understanding of what they are watching, including the laws and ethics around porn production and viewing. Some things to consider:
Some pornography can include violent or abusive images, such as rape. This is wrong, even if it is people acting out rape.
An images showing anyone under age 18 is child sexual abuse. It is illegal to watch, produce and/or distribute this material.
Research shows that watching porn can desensitize people to violent, graphic images and videos. Over time, people who view this content are more likely to accept sexual violence as normal.
Some people find themselves viewing more and more porn and looking for more and more sexual content, and that their viewing feels compulsive. If you’re worried about yourself or a friend, ask more questions.
Some people who watch lots of porn find it difficult to be in a real relationship. They tell us they don’t know how to go about establishing a healthy, safe and equal relationship.
It’s OK to ask questions. Here are the most common ones we hear:
Have more questions? Text, chat or call our helpline
Is it OK to look at porn?
Glad you’re asking - good question! Legally, it depends on your age and the laws of your state or country. In the United States, people over age 18 can look at porn legally. People under age 18 in the US cannot legally view any type of sexually explicit content, including porn that would be legal for an adult to watch, although it’s unlikely that they would face legal consequences.
It’s normal to be curious about sexual behavior and relationships, and it matters how you get that information. So first, seek out other resources for sex education.
Beyond what’s legal, it’s important to understand how watching porn fits into your image of the type of person you want to be and the values you hope to represent. Like with anything, pay attention to what you’re viewing, understand it and to think about how you feel about it. It’s helpful to ask yourself questions such as:
What is entertaining about it?
Why am I watching it?
What is it telling me?
Who is the intended audience?
What do I think about what I’m watching?
At the end of the day, porn doesn’t provide accurate information about sex or being in a sexual relationship. It often shows only a few types of sexual relationships and behaviors, and can make everything look easy and magical. But there’s no real context. Real relationships have flirting, dating, communication and feelings – and porn doesn’t show those realistically. Often, what we find online can be disturbing, and these images are hard to forget or understand without becoming an educated consumer first.
You can contact the WhatsOK helpline if you have questions about anything you have seen or have concerns about your viewing behaviors.
And here is some more content that might be helpful if you have other questions about your porn use:
Is child sexual abuse material (CSAM) legal, healthy, or OK to watch?
No, it is never ok to watch or show anyone under 18 years old in any sexually explicit material. Once called “child pornography,” this is now called “child sexual abuse material” (CSAM) to show that this content is evidence of abuse and exploitation. Creating, showing, or viewing CSAM is a crime.
Children and teenagers under age 18 cannot give their legal consent to be in these types of images or videos. Basically, viewing CSAM means that you are watching a kid being sexually abused. Even if a child looks like they are happy and enjoying what is happening, they have likely been threatened, coerced, or manipulated into what they are doing for the camera. They could be drugged, and they could be experiencing other kinds of abuse or trauma.
Also, if this type of content is created by another kid, whether they share it directly as a sext with a romantic partner or if it is unknowingly leaked or shared with peers, it is also illegal. It will be viewed as CSAM by authorities and in a court of law. Our FAQ: Is Sexting Okay? and our Blog, “Could I get in trouble for sexting?” can answer some other questions you might have about this.
Watching CSAM may also affect a person’s judgment about what is ok, healthy, and safe with children. For some people, watching these images can normalize the sexual abuse of children - they can start to believe that it is ok for children to engage in sexual behaviors with adults or other children, on camera. They may find themselves looking for more and more similar content.
Often a person doesn’t start off with the intention to look for images and videos of children being sexually abused, and for some people, when they accidently find this type of content, they recognize it as harmful and may even take steps to report the content to get it taken off line and to even try to get help to the children in the pictures if possible. But for some people, they may find themselves looking for this content again. And feelings of shame, guilt; feeling overwhelmed or even scared are some of the experiences people who are looking at these images talk about; worrying about what looking at this content means. If you have found these types of images online and you keep thinking about them, or even find yourself looking for more of them, talking to one of our counselors on our confidential helpline can help you think about what could help you stop.
Check out these blogs to learn more on this topic:
Is watching hentai, lolicon, or shotacon a problem?
Yes, watching this type of content can be a problem for some people, and some of it is illegal. It’s good to ask questions like this and learn as much as you can so you can make safe decisions about what to watch. But there are a few things to consider, so stick with us on this long answer!
Normalizing Harmful Acts
A concern about this type of content is that it can make it easier to think that sex with and between kids is ok – but it’s not. In general, a lot of this content shows young people, children and teens, in sexual clothing and situations. This can be confusing to younger children, and also to some teens and adults who may be working on figuring out their own sexual attractions and boundaries. So even though hentai, lolicon, and shotacon aren’t real, they can make thinking about children in sexual situations seem normal and safe - and this is problematic. This can potentially give people who look at this content concerning messages about what is normal, healthy and legal. And while looking at this content doesn’t mean that you or anyone else is sexually attracted to children or will become so, it does mean that it becomes harder to identify what is indeed safe and healthy, and what is harmful - and this means that there is more of a risk for people to act in a way that is illegal and/or harmful regarding their sexual behaviors around and with children.
It’s Illegal in Some Places
Sexually explicit images, videos, and other content of people under age 18 is illegal in the United States. This content is called child sexual abuse material (CSAM, formerly called child pornography), because it is evidence of sexual abuse. Some fictional sexual content may be considered CSAM.
The laws around watching specifically fictional sexual content can be pretty confusing. In general, in the U.S., fictional content that includes images of child sexual abuse or sexualizes children is illegal. That means, in the U.S., hentai is generally legal, but lolicon and shotacon would generally be considered illegal. In some other countries, it is illegal to have any sexualized cartoon images of anyone under the age of 18. And the laws will keep changing over time as more is learned about the impact and risks of this type of content.
So, depending on where you live, watching hentai, lolicon, or shotacon, having it saved on your devices, or sharing it on the internet could be considered illegal. For that reason, it’s best to avoid illegal content – even if it’s fictional.
Concerning Behaviors
Just like with any behavior or interest, it is important to pay attention to any red flags that could mean that watching this is getting in the way of other areas of your life - like hanging with friends, doing something you normally like doing, your schoolwork or job.
A good way to determine whether anything – especially sexual content – is a problem is to check in with yourself. Ask yourself: are you feeling uncomfortable or anxious because of what you are looking at or how much it has become a part of your life? Also pay attention to whether it is making you think about or look for images and content that is especially aggressive, sexualized or harmful in some other way. Some warning signs to pay attention to include:
A growing interest in younger kids as sexual beings
You’re ignoring real friendships and activities, and avoiding friends and family because of what you are watching
When you are in a public or social situation (ex. at school, work or any other activity), you can’t wait to get home again to watch this type of content
You are secretive about what and how much you watch
You have repeated fantasies and thoughts about having sex with kids
The characters in these cartoons seem more and more real to you
Bottom Line
With all of that said, there are many reasons why people seek out this kind of content, and there can be a lot of misinformation that can create confusion about what is ok and safe, and what is not safe and even harmful, subsequently creating feelings of guilt and shame. We spoke about this in our blog, “I feel disgusting after watching cartoon images of children having sex.”
If you have any questions about what you’re viewing, you’re not alone - get answers and help. Text our helpline.
Can you be addicted to porn?
It’s complicated. The research about addiction to pornography is still unclear. But “porn addiction” can feel like the right language for many people who are trying to describe the struggle they have with online behaviors that feel hard to manage. That can feel like an addiction: a pattern of “using” even when they don’t want to, feeling ashamed or guilty afterwards, and making promises to themselves (or others) that it won’t happen again - only for the pattern to be repeated.
Some people feel like porn is a healthy part of their sex lives. Other folks find that their behaviors have slid out of control, maybe leading to things like the loss of friendships, partnerships, jobs or even legal involvement if they’ve been watching child sexual abuse material (CSAM, formerly called child pornography). That can be scary! People in this situation may feel hopeless about their ability to change their behavior or even their interests.
But many people do successfully make changes in their viewing habits and break cycles of behavior that feel worrisome or could even be harmful. And they learn more about what interests them sexually and how to make healthy decisions about what they want and how to get it.
Are you worried about your porn use? Your viewing habits may be a cause for concern if you:
Find yourself spending more and more time watching porn
Feel as though you need a porn “fix” – and that fix gives you a “high”
Feel guilty about the consequences of viewing porn
Neglecting responsibilities such as friends, school, jobs – even sleeping, eating and bathing regularly, in order to spend time watching porn
If you or someone you know is worried about the amount of pornography they’re watching, talking with someone who understands is a great step to feel back in control. No one has to do this alone - many people reach out for help and help is available!
Often people who are most successful making healthy and safe choices about their viewing habits have the support of a therapist so that they can better explore why they’re doing what they’re doing, get support and help for any other issues that may be affecting them (like mental health concerns, past trauma, etc.), and learn new ways of taking care of themselves
We’re here to talk. Reach out to our Helpline with any questions about your own viewing habits.
See also our Blogs: “I'm wondering how I will know when my porn use has become a problem?” and, “I think I’m watching too much porn - what should I do?”