When the internet first came along, we all dutifully signed up for accounts and began to explore this new medium. We surfed and chatted and downloaded and shopped. It was only a few years later that we realized that along the way an entire generation had gotten hooked on porn. It’s obvious now—what else was ever going to happen? But somehow nobody saw it coming. We saw the opportunities but missed a major risk.

It has long been claimed that pornography drives technology. This claim is over-stated, no doubt, but what’s clear is that pornography very quickly and cleverly takes advantage of new communication technologies. As one commentator says, “If we invent a machine, the first thing we are going to do—after making a profit—is use it to watch porn.” If you don’t believe me, just do a little research into VHS, DVD, internet, iPhone, and a host of other innovations that were created for any number of purposes but which very quickly became major conduits for porn.

Over the past few years I have had many opportunities to speak on the twin subjects of pornography and technology, and when I do so I am always sure to point out that we are exceptional at assessing the opportunities in new technologies but woeful at assessing the risks. The rise of the internet provides a ready example. When the internet first came along, we all dutifully signed up for accounts and began to explore this new medium. We surfed and chatted and downloaded and shopped. It was only a few years later that we realized that along the way an entire generation had gotten hooked on porn. It’s obvious now—what else was ever going to happen? But somehow nobody saw it coming. We saw the opportunities but missed a major risk.

When I speak on these topics I typically conclude with a Q&A session, and of all the questions I’ve been asked, this may be the most common: What’s next? What’s the next big technology for which we are likely to embrace the obvious benefits and only learn about the risks after the damage has already been done?

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