Knowing what to look for is the first step in protecting your children. Research shows that 82% of children and teenagers view pornography on smartphones and tablets. Here are nine behavioral indicators that parents should monitor.

1. Excessive Device Usage

Children spending abnormal amounts of time on smartphones and tablets may be a warning sign. While screen time alone is not diagnostic, a noticeable increase in device usage -- particularly when combined with other signs on this list -- warrants attention.

2. Isolation and Seclusion

Kids who prefer locked doors and spend extended time in private spaces may be concealing their online activity. This behavior is often driven by a mix of shame and compulsive urges to view content they know is inappropriate.

3. Device Protectiveness

When children become secretive about their devices -- adding passwords, refusing parental access, or panicking when a parent picks up their phone -- it can indicate they have something to hide. In healthy parent-child relationships, reasonable device access should be normal and expected.

4. Depression and Withdrawal

Frequent pornography consumption can alter developing brains, causing mood disturbances and reduced interest in normal activities. If your child is showing signs of depression or withdrawal from activities they previously enjoyed, online content exposure could be a contributing factor.

5. Sleep Disruption

Irregular bedtime patterns often emerge when devices remain accessible at night. Late-night device usage is one of the most common times for children to access inappropriate content, as parental oversight is naturally lower during these hours.

6. Nervous Reactions

Children who panic or appear anxious when parents enter their space or unexpectedly request device access may be trying to hide their browsing activity. These sudden changes in demeanor are often telling.

7. Academic Decline

Grades dropping alongside reduced participation in sports and extracurricular activities can signal a broader issue. When a child's motivation decreases across multiple areas of their life, it may be connected to compulsive online behavior.

8. Concentration Problems

Research has noted that regular viewers of explicit content experience deteriorated working memory and sudden mood swings. If your child is having difficulty concentrating on tasks that previously held their attention, this could be a related symptom.

9. Heightened Sexual Interest

An increased fascination with sexual discussions, terminology, and content that seems beyond what is age-appropriate can be another concerning indicator. This is especially notable when the knowledge or interest appears suddenly rather than developing naturally.

What to Do

If you recognize several of these signs, the response should be measured and supportive rather than punitive. Open communication is essential. Implementing parental controls and DNS filtering provides a technical layer of protection, while maintaining open dialogue ensures your child feels safe coming to you with concerns.

CleanBrowsing's content filtering can help prevent access to adult content across all devices on your network. Combined with thoughtful conversations and reasonable device policies, these tools create a safer digital environment for your family.