Yes, porn is harmful and misleading and should be banned for minors

Children are at high risk of porn addiction because of their vulnerability to the addictive nature of the graphic images in pornography. Porn addiction negatively affects brain development, behavior, performance at school, and mental health. It may even cause sexual dysfunction in the future.

Children and adolescents may be shocked or disturbed by premature or inadvertent encounters with sexually explicit material. Pornography should be banned for under 18 to prevent any possible emotional distress.

Sexualized representations of women in pornography encourage girls to see themselves solely in sexual terms and equate their self-worth with narrow standards of physical attractiveness. Exposure also affects the way men treat women, causing them to adopt a sexually objectifying attitude.

Exposure to pornography makes male children more likely to engage in sexual aggression and rape-supportive behavior later on. It also increases girls’ vulnerability to violence and makes them more likely to become victims of sexual violence.