WATCH: New Zealand ‘porn ad’ brilliantly starts the consent conversation with teens

In the ad, two porn stars turn up at a boy’s house and talk to his mother about pornography’s impact on young teens

New Zealand Government campaign, Let’s Keep it Real, aims to help parents and caregivers keep children safe online.

The campaign stresses the importance of educating children and helping them develop online safety skills, so they can navigate the internet in a safe, happy and healthy way.

This is the message made in the campaign’s latest ‘porn ad’, a government-approved advert that encourages parents to talk to their children about the differences between pornography and real sexual expectations in relationships.

Pornography vs. real relationships

In the ad, two porn stars arrive at the front doorstep completely nude (covered by careful camera shots). They knock on the door and inform the mother of the house that her son was watching them online.

“We usually perform for adults, but your son’s just a kid,” they say. “He might not know how relationships actually work.

“We don’t even talk about consent, do we? We just get straight to it,” they explain. “And I’d never act like that in real life.” 

The mother takes their words to heart and decides to have a conversation with her now mortified son. 

“It’s time to have a talk about the differences between what you see online and real life relationships. No judgement!” she says.

Pornography as sex education

The ad is a brilliant way to bring awareness to the unhealthy effects pornography can have on young minds, especially to those who view it as a form of sex education.

A poll conducted by Youth Work Ireland found that over 20 percent of young people think internet pornography is a “useful” source of information about healthy sexual relationships. 

And over 90 percent said that the internet is their most trusted source of information on healthy sexual relationships.

This ad, quickly went viral, and has helped bring much-needed awareness to this issue.

Keep it real online has great advice available for parents, giving tips on how and when to talk to your child about pornography.

Watch the Let’s Keep it Real ad below:

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