# Online safety, sexting and pornography

**How do we talk to our child about online safety, sexting and pornography?**

How you talk to and protect your child about risks online, including sexting and pornography: blocking, conversation, or both.

In short: Parents choose between 4 main approaches: Blocking and prohibition only; Blocking plus conversation before likely exposure; Conversation and media literacy, no blocking; Not addressed unless it comes up. Evidence: your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide. Best settled: tween.

- Area: Screens, phones and digital life
- Evidence: Your call
- Best settled: Tween
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/screens-phones-and-digital-life--online-safety-sexting-and-pornography

## Online safety, sexting and pornography: what are the options?

1. **Blocking and prohibition only**: You rely on filters and rules and do not discuss it.
2. **Blocking plus conversation before likely exposure**: You use filters and also talk before the child is likely to come across it.
3. **Conversation and media literacy, no blocking**: You talk and teach the child to think critically, without filters.
4. **Not addressed unless it comes up**: You raise it only if something happens.

## Online safety, sexting and pornography: what does the evidence say?

**Your call.** No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide.

AAP's script: ask questions, normalize curiosity, state family values, explain that porn is not realistic; no sexting source gathered

Sources:

- [AAP](https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/media-and-children/center-of-excellence-on-social-media-and-youth-mental-health/qa-portal/qa-portal-library/qa-portal-library-questions/talking-to-your-child-about-online-pornography-exposure/)

## What else is worth knowing?

Many children come across sexual content online before their parents expect it, often by accident. Filters reduce exposure and do not remove it. Talking early, before it happens, is the advice most experts give.

## Questions to ask each other

- When would we start talking about these topics?
- Which of us would have the conversations?
- What would we say if our child came to us after seeing something upsetting?

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General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=screens-phones-and-digital-life&topic=screens-phones-and-digital-life--online-safety-sexting-and-pornography