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Why can we have sex at 16 but not view or be in porn until 18?

Surely actually having sex is far more dangerous and has much more of a potential impact than porn does. Therefore, why do we have to be older for porn?

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Reply 1
Avatar for Sammi_K?
Sammi_K?
13
LOL, good question. I'm curious to know as well.
Reply 2
Avatar for Hopple
Hopple
18
I think it makes sense to require the age for having sex on camera to be greater than the age to have sex in private. As for viewing porn, has anyone under 18 ever been prosecuted for watching it? It's just a law which was passed as a target for society, even if everyone knows it's pointless and unenforceable.
I would have thought to be in porn you would have to actually have sex... otherwise it is pretty unusual porn.

But as for viewing... I don't know.

Maybe it is because the content of some porn would be more disturbing to younger people than just the act of having sex? Or maybe people think it is an antidote to actual sex education? No idea.
Reply 4
Avatar for Movember
Movember
10
Because most porn sites are run by American companies and I believe the legal age for sex over there is 18.
Reply 5
Avatar for fire2burn
fire2burn
17
It's just one of those bizarre quirks of the legal system that has absolutely no real justification yet the effort to change it is probably too great and thus not worth bothering with.
I didn't even know there was an age limit to watch it, wow I'm innocent :s-smilie:


Posted from TSR Mobile
Well would you want to watch a 16 year old doing it? Isn't it borderline pedophile...
Original post by Olympiad
I didn't even know there was an age limit to watch it, wow I'm innocent :s-smilie:


Posted from TSR Mobile


Or perhaps you're guilty :sexface:
Original post by eggfriedrice
Well would you want to watch a 16 year old doing it? Isn't it borderline pedophile...


Perhaps 16-year-olds would?
Original post by PythianLegume
Perhaps 16-year-olds would?


But that's not the point. Many older people would have access to that, including pedophiles.
Reply 11
Avatar for Lexi99
Lexi99
11
Becaue at the age of 16/17, even though youre legally allowed to have sex, you're technically not an adult and not responsible for makin your own decisions i.e. being in a porn film. I think the law is a bit iffy on having young people in porn because it could be construed as the person being forced into doing or something like that
Original post by eggfriedrice
But that's not the point. Many older people would have access to that, including pedophiles.


But anyone can legally have sex with a 16-year-old (except those in direct responsibility to them, eg. teachers), so we have clearly decided that being attracted to 16-year-olds is not paedophilia.
Original post by PythianLegume
Or perhaps you're guilty :sexface:


How did you guess? Joke, I've never even had a boyfriend...

#foreveralone
Reply 14
Avatar for Xotol
Xotol
14
This is such a pointless law anyway. You're not going to stop horny teens from finding porn material and doing their thing eventually. Perhaps the most unenforceable law ever.

When there's a will, there's a way...
Reply 15
Avatar for Lexi99
Lexi99
11
Hey i dont make the law
Because age of consent is uncontrollable. You can't physically enforce that law - if 15 year olds want to have sex, there's nothing stopping them. But if a porn company used 16 year olds, there would be real legal implications. It's daft, really.
Original post by Movember
Because most porn sites are run by American companies and I believe the legal age for sex over there is 18.


It varies by state. It's 16 here in Washington state. And the OP's question is a good one. Why can't you view or act in porn if the age of consent has been satisfied? As to Hopper's comment: in what way does it make sense? You're either old enough, or you aren't. I'm sick of the hypocrisy inherent in the age system. In some parts of the US, you can drive by 15, have sex at 16, die for your country at 18 (not to mention smoke, marry, and go into horrific debt), but still have to wait until 21 to drink. Maybe if everyone took their nose out of other people's business...?
Original post by Silverbanshee
It varies by state. It's 16 here in Washington state. And the OP's question is a good one. Why can't you view or act in porn if the age of consent has been satisfied? As to Hopper's comment: in what way does it make sense? You're either old enough, or you aren't. I'm sick of the hypocrisy inherent in the age system. In some parts of the US, you can drive by 15, have sex at 16, die for your country at 18 (not to mention smoke, marry, and go into horrific debt), but still have to wait until 21 to drink. Maybe if everyone took their nose out of other people's business...?


The time taken for the transition from adolescence to adult, conscious rational decision making, balancing risk and accepting responsibility, is not the same as the clock ticking one second past midnight on the day of birth.

Individuals mature at vastly different rates. What may be safe for one may also be highly risky or fatal for another.

There are also many people who will exploit naivety and innocence for their own gratification.

Many reputable studies show that young people are predisposed to excessive risk. Taking one example for instance: the statistics for road traffic accident mortality illustrate the issue. With something like 30% of all fatalities for the 15 to 19 age group, rising to 50% of all fatalities for the 10 to 14 age group, both accounted for by road accidents. (RAC figures)

Indeed, 15 to 19 year olds in the UK, experience double the risk of death from road accidents alone, than the general public from all causes of death. It rises to 300% greater risk for males in that age group.

Given these figures, it may seem that the minimum driving age limit for the UK currently set at 17 years old, is too young.

It may seem that often laws try to crack a nut with a sledgehammer, but really, it's because the collective behaviour of people can only be measured as an average. The laws try to give protection to the majority and especially people unable to protect themselves.

Inevitably, some will feel hard done by.

Just have to suck it up and wait.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Silverbanshee
It varies by state. It's 16 here in Washington state. And the OP's question is a good one. Why can't you view or act in porn if the age of consent has been satisfied? As to Hopper's comment: in what way does it make sense? You're either old enough, or you aren't. I'm sick of the hypocrisy inherent in the age system. In some parts of the US, you can drive by 15, have sex at 16, die for your country at 18 (not to mention smoke, marry, and go into horrific debt), but still have to wait until 21 to drink. Maybe if everyone took their nose out of other people's businessI..?


If I may add something along the lines of your post. when I was 18 I had all freedoms you mentioned ,plus was inducted into the Army but to get a tooth filled I had to get parental permission.

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