Dr. Michael Robb is a developmental psychologist and Head of Research at Common Sense Media. In this episode, he joins us to unpack findings from two major Common Sense Media studies: Teens and Pornography, which explores how teens are exposed to and engage with online pornography, and Teens in the AI Era: Pornography and Sexual Content, which examines how AI-generated explicit content is creating new challenges for young people.

Common Sense Media’s research found that the average reported age of first exposure to pornography was 12, while 30% of teens reported seeing pornography during the school day. And as AI-generated sexual content becomes increasingly common, 44% of teens say they’ve encountered it, with about 1 in 4 of those teens seeing AI sexual content depicting themselves or someone they personally know.

Why do teens watch porn? What are teens learning from pornography about sex? And how is AI-generated porn changing what young people encounter online? Dr. Robb discusses differences in how boys and girls engage with pornography, why so much exposure happens accidentally, what teens themselves say they're learning from porn, and what parents and trusted adults should know about explicit deepfakes and AI-generated sexual content.

Episode Resources:

• Article: Nearly Half of Teens Exposed to AI-Generated Sexual Content
• Article: How Many Students Watch Porn at School?
• Common Sense Study 2023: Teens and Pornography
• Common Sense Study 2026: Teens in the AI Era
• Conversation Guide: Let's Talk About Porn

Madyson is a former OnlyFans creator who spent three and a half years creating pornographic content before leaving the industry. After first being exposed to pornography at seven years old, Madyson says she began imagining a future in the porn industry by age 12 and started creating content shortly after turning 18.

What is it really like to be an OnlyFans creator? How much money do OnlyFans creators actually make? And is OnlyFans really empowering for its creators?

In this episode, Madyson shares how the promise of easy money and empowerment compared with her experience of increasing subscriber demands, shifting personal boundaries, body-image struggles, and objectification. She also discusses why leaving wasn't as simple as deciding to stop, how her content continues to affect her years later, and what she wishes young people considering OnlyFans understood before joining.

Episode Resources:

• Article: The “OnlyFans Era” and What Pop Culture Gets Wrong About Selling Sexual Content Online
• Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 153: Taylor
• Conversation Guide: Let's Talk About Porn

What is it like to be the first generation to grow up with smartphones, social media, and internet pornography?

In this bonus episode, we unpack new survey findings about Gen Z's experiences with pornography, relationships, and consent. They discuss how online pornography became many young people's first exposure to sex, why social media has become a major source of exposure, and what today's young adults say they wish had been different.

Episode Resources:

• Article: How Are Gen Z Using Porn?
• FTND Parent Page