The Government has released a new advert aimed at encouraging parents to talk to their children about online pornography.
The ad, which features two "porn stars", stresses the importance of parents talking to their kids about the difference between pornography and real life relationships. It also addresses the importance of consent.
The ad begins with a mother opening her house door where she is met with two naked "porn stars". The porn stars introduce themselves as Sue and Derek and tell the mother, "we're here because your son just looked us up online, you know to watch us".
The mother then calls her son, Matt, downstairs while Sue and Derek explain he is watching them on his laptop, iPad, PlayStation, his phone, her phone, the smart TV and the projector.
Sue and Derek then go on to say they normally perform for adults but "your son's just a kid". "He [Matt] might not know how real relationships actually work. We don't even talk about consent, do we? We just get straight to it," Sue says.
Derek agrees, saying, "no, and I'd never act like that in real life".
The teenage son then appears and upon seeing Sue and Derek, drops his bowl of food in horror.
However, instead of panicking the mother calmly turns to her son and says it's time for them to have a talk.
"Alright Matty, it sounds like it's time to have a talk about the difference between what you see online, and real-life relationships. No judgment!", she says.
The ad finishes with a voice over warning that "many young Kiwis are using porn to learn about sex". Parents are then advised to "keep it real online" and discuss porn with their children.
According to the Government website, Keep It Real Online, it's becoming increasingly easy for children to access porn in "today's digital world".
The website warns parents that children often stumble upon porn by accident which is why it's so important for parents to talk to them about it.
"It's normal for young people to be curious about sex. The best way to support them is to have open, honest conversations about what they might see and how it’s different from real sex and relationships," the website says.
The website goes on to give tips for parents including, choosing the right moment, listening to what their kids say, letting them know porn doesn't reflect reality, discussing sexual consent and respect and being patient.
