In case you haven’t noticed, pornography is so popular that virtually everyone with a computer has seen it.

Oh, I know you’re thinking, “No one in my house would look at that.” But, you are probably wrong. The average age for a person to see pornography on the Internet for the first time is 11 years old. This is when curious young people become interested in their developing sexuality and seek information about sex.

And it gets worse as young people get older. Studies indicate that 20% of male adolescents in college view pornography almost every day. It starts with the freedom they experience being away from home and the availability of broadband Internet in their bedroom. Without supervision, they can watch porn whenever they want. From curiosity to hobby to regular habit to addiction, the progression is well known.

Adults are no better. Half of the men at a recent Christian Promise Keepers conference admitted to viewing pornography in the week before the conference. Surveys indicate that two-thirds of young men and almost half of young women feel that pornography is an acceptable way to express sexuality.

Porn addiction occurs like any addiction: in the brain. Neurons interconnect and neurotransmitters begin to excite the pleasure center of the brain. This produces a strong compulsion to view pornography and masturbate as the primary means of experiencing pleasure. It becomes the main way to calm stress and disappointment. And it can become more important than homework, family responsibilities, or a job.

Internet pornography has become a major problem in recent years because Internet pornography is:

– Accessible: It is available on any computer at any time

– Affordable: Softcore porn is free, but the desire for more intense porn usually requires a subscription.

– Anonymous: You can find a lot of porn without creating a login or giving your name or email address

– additive: Changes the brain to depend on pornography for pleasure.

– Aggressive: Pop-up ads follow you around the web urging you to come back for more porn.

The main way to keep pornography out of your home is to use filtering software programs. There are a number of programs that can block pornographic sites, as well as sites that involve violence and hate. Even if a search engine returns links to these sites, they will not be displayed when the links are clicked.

Filtering software is useful for young people who, out of curiosity, may visit a sexually oriented site. But older children can easily access Internet pornography at a friend’s house or at a library. Also, some filtering software can be “hacked” to allow access to pornographic sites even when the software is active.

Help for people who are already addicted to Internet pornography is available. There are several organizations similar to Alcohol Anonymous with 12-step programs designed for addicts to pornography. Some mental health professions now specialize in helping people addicted to pornography with individual or group sessions.