Symantec Claims Kids 7 And Under Regularly Search For Porn. Symantec Is Full Of Shit

Security company Symantec must be following the lead from Copenhagen and ramping up the alarmism this Christmas to sell more software with a new study that claims searching for porn is popular with children aged seven and under.

The survey found that porn was the fourth most popular search term for children seven years and under, behind YouTube, but ahead of sites such as Disney or Nickelodeon. It also found that porn and sex were popular search terms for tweens and teenagers.

I don’t dispute that older kiddies might be searching for porn, but seven or six year old kids to the point that it’s the fourth most popular search term in the age group? The suggestion isn’t just dumb, it’s (and pardon the swearing) complete and utter bullshit.

First, it presumes that lots of seven, six and even five year olds are using search engines to begin with. Second, it also then presumes that they know what porn is (both as a concept and actual word.)

As the father of a seven year old, let me say simply that although it’s not impossible that a very small number of children seven and under might be searching for porn, the idea that it’s common is completely and utterly in the realms of fantasy. A responsible parent of a child that young will not have taught their kids about porn; they might have taught them to be aware of “naughty pictures” online, but not much else. I also wouldn’t let my son use a search engine without supervision at his age in a billion years to begin with; I even check his YouTube searches before he starts looking at videos, and if I’m not next to him while he’s on the computer, I’m in ear shot so I know exactly what’s going on.

I’d rip the study/ survey/ research (whatever it is) but the methodology isn’t disclosed; my guess is that it’s a small sample from among their installed user base and not representative by any stretch. Further, I’d guess that the quality control of the logged in user on the sample computers isn’t there; that is, although thinking a seven or six year old might be on at the time, an older child or adult was actually on.

Either way, it’s complete bollocks. Don’t believe me? they also claim “Kids under the age of seven are conducting searches for P2P sites like Limewire and Mininova.” How many five and six year olds are going to know what Limewire or Mininova are? Seriously? These results were compiled by single, nerdy men who have never had children, because no one else in their sane mind could publish crap like this, at least not with a straight face.

(study via Mashable.)