Is Pornography Behind America’s Sex Recession?

Young men report disappointing sex lives, but pornography is probably not to blame

We are living through a sex recession. At least, so we are told. Americans are having less sex and this has been described as an unfortunate development.

Not everyone appears equally affected. The March American Perspectives Survey reveals that nearly one in three (32 percent) men under the age of 30 have never had sex. Among young women, only 23 percent report they have never had sex. Young men are also more likely than women to report feeling dissatisfied with their sex lives, indicating that they are not content with the status quo.

There is a range of reasons that informed observers have offered to explain why young people are having less sex, from delayed adulthood, postponing marriage, helicopter parents, and various digital distractions.

Yet, when it comes to young men in particular, pornography is an increasingly popular explanation. The Internet has made pornography more accessible than ever, and use skyrocketed during the pandemic. Today, most Americans report having watched po…