Porn is a 'public health issue,' claims faith-based panel

TOM SHAW/Getty Images

Porn is a 'public health issue,' claims faith-based panel
(Image credit: TOM SHAW/Getty Images)

Underage tobacco use, drunk driving, and porn form the holy trinity of public health crises ruining America, a panel of experts recently decided. A two-day conference on sexual exploitation hosted by the faith-based organization Morality in Media came to the conclusion that smut has become so widespread it should be treated in the same manner as illegal activities like drunk driving.

The organization assembled a lineup of social workers, faith leaders, and former members of the porn industry to claim that that porn is a "complex social problem" that should be addressed as a public health issue, reports the AFP. Since porn sites are the top attraction on the internet, with more than 4 million smutty sites online, it could be harmful for minors who regularly encounter the web, said sociology professor Gail Dines.

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Jordan Valinsky is the lead writer for Speed Reads. Before joining The Week, he wrote for New York Observer's tech blog, Betabeat, and tracked the intersection between popular culture and the internet for The Daily Dot. He graduated with a degree in online journalism from Ohio University.