New Hampshire aims to block underage pornography access
Published:
Mar 26, 2025
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11:05 a.m.
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Key Points:
Although it doesn’t make as many headlines as gambling addiction, porn addiction is a growing issue nationwide that has been getting more attention in some states.
New Hampshire is the latest state aiming to block underage access to pornographic material
Early exposure to pornographic material at a young age can increase the likelihood of individuals developing an unhealthy relationship with it later in life, as Justin Baldoni’s experience illustrates.
There is no specific line between a healthy amount of porn use and it being a compulsive behavior. Instead, it being an issue is more about the impact it has on other aspects of life and why it is used.
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New Hampshire is just one state making an effort to eliminate, or at a minimum reduce, the amount of harmful material that is available to underage individuals. The American Psychological Association reported that the average age of first exposure to explicit material was 13 years old. Another report found that 73% of teens have watched porn, 52% have witnessed violent pornographic material and Common Sense Media reported that 58% of teens under the age of 18 were accidentally and unintentionally exposed to pornographic material on the internet.
With these alarming statistics in mind, New Hampshire state representatives are taking a new approach in hopes of protecting minors from potentially harmful materials by proposing measures be placed on devices that are used by minors and initiated by parents, rather than rely on the porn industry to censor itself to vulnerable populations.
What is New Hampshire’s proposed legislation HB 293?
In New Hampshire, HB 293 proposes legislation be put in place to prevent minors from being able to access pornographic or obscene material via the internet on certain devices. The bill is supported by ten Republican State Representatives and is currently pending review by the House Judiciary Committee. The last review of this bill was completed on March 4, 2025.
Why is New Hampshire cracking down on underage porn access?
New Hampshire has decided to take a proactive stand against the harm that unsupervised porn access can have on underaged individuals. After state lawmakers rejected an age-verification bill introduced in 2024, New Hampshire State Representative Margaret M. Drye came up with an alternative plan to protect children from pornographic material.
Instead of putting the responsibility of protecting minors on pornographic sites, legislation HB 293 would require device manufacturers to have parents confirm their children's age when setting up devices. This would enable a content filter to automatically engage if the device is set up for children under 18. This mechanism would proactively help protect children, regardless of their parents' technological savvy.
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Porn addiction in the headlines: Justin Baldoni’s experience shows dangers of underage pornography access
In light of a recent, very public lawsuit involving Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, Baldoni’s previously admitted history of porn addiction was brought into the conversation, highlights the potential long-term impact early exposure to pornography may have. Baldoni talked about his exposure to porn at age 10 and how before long he would turn to porn to soothe any negative feelings he experienced.
In a podcast interview, Baldoni painted a picture of what being addicted to porn looked like for him:
“I found myself, over the course of my life, going back to looking at images and videos of naked women when I was feeling necessarily bad about myself,” he said. “And I knew that it was an issue for me when I would tell myself, ‘Oh, don’t, you don’t want to do that,’ and you would find yourself doing it. The fact that I look at it, and I don’t feel good when I do it, tells me that there’s an issue.”
How big of a problem is porn addiction? How prevalent is it?
Porn addiction is estimated to affect anywhere from 3-6% of the world's population, with that number being potentially higher due to reporting limitations and individuals unwillingness to openly report their struggles with porn.
The exact number of those struggling with porn addiction is also hard to determine due to a lack of formal diagnosis in the DSM-5, although sex addiction is recognized by most professionals as a significant issue in today’s society. Males report higher rates of porn addiction than females and those under the age of 25 reported watching more porn than other individuals.
How much porn is too much? Where is the unhealthy line?
There is not an exact amount of porn consumption that has been deemed healthy versus addictive. The measurement of how much porn is too much is best reflected in the negative impact an individual's porn consumption has on their life.
A study from Canada asked participants to rate their porn habits based on compulsive tendencies and emotional impact. Participants fell into one of three categories, ranging from recreational, compulsive or distressed porn users. Those with recreational porn habits watched an approximate 24 minutes per week of porn versus those with distressed porn use, indicating 110 minutes of viewing per week.
Can Porn Addiction be formally diagnosed?
Porn addiction has been in the forefront of discussion among professionals on how to diagnose and define its behavior and develop standardized treatment protocols. At this time, porn addiction is not included in the DSM-5 and does not have a formal set of diagnostic criteria.
The behavior associated with porn addiction may be considered a symptom of “Compulsive Sexual Behavior” (CBS) which was deemed a mental health disorder by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018.
Behaviors seen with CBS that may also occur with porn addiction include:
Sexual behavior or porn use take up a lot of time
Porn use or sexual behavior leads to feelings of guilt or depression
You feel unable to control porn use or sexual urges
Porn use or sexual urges interfere with maintaining healthy relationships
Sexual behavior or porn use leads to negative consequences
Treatment options for Porn Addiction
Treatment for porn addiction may include various levels of support depending on the severity of an individual's addiction. Treatment for porn addiction may include psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, inpatient or outpatient treatment or support groups.
Can medication help with porn addiction?
There are medications that address a myriad of underlying mental health issues that may have similar behaviors seen in sex addiction. Adding medication such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers and opioid antagonists may help some individuals manage the compulsive behaviors associated with porn addiction.
Are porn blocker apps effective?
Porn blockers may be an effective measure to help someone reduce their porn use over time. There are apps and browser extensions that can be downloaded to tablets, computers and phones to restrict porn sites and illicit material.
Popular porn blocker apps include:
BlockerX
BlockerHero
Purity
Covenant Eyes
Specialized virtual porn addiction treatment
Birches Health offers specialized counseling for porn addiction that uses proven and effective techniques, conducted through virtual therapy. Online therapy can help make access to porn addiction treatment easier for those without local resources in their area. Birches also works with most major insurance companies, helping to reduce cost for porn addiction care.
There are multiple options for connecting with Birches Health:
Call 833-483-3838
Email help@bircheshealth.com
