The Movement Ep. 4: Dirty Dozen List Victories, Advocacy with Senators, and More!

The Movement Episode 4 is here!

"The Movement" is a regular video update, where we share the progress and challenges in the fight to end sexual exploitation.

This week we discuss Big Tech companies that have taken steps to prioritize safety thanks to YOUR action, how NCOSE & Senator Lee are linking arms to take on the pornography industry, and more!

Watch the episode and read more below.

Study Shows Brains of Compulsive Pornography Users Mirror Those of Drug Addicts

Henry (pseudonym) was first exposed to pornography at the age of 12. He quickly became addicted to pornography and for 30 years, he led a double life, hiding his addiction from everyone except two of his therapists. 

He felt side effects that resembled those experienced as a result of other types of addiction, including substance abuse or gambling.  

“I feel like an addict. I emotionally isolate like an addict, and I suffer the consequences like an addict. These websites are specifically designed to target addicts and keep them clicking,” said Henry. 

Many who use pornography, like Henry, feel as though they cannot stop, despite the myriad of negative consequences and havoc it wreaks on their lives and relationships with others. 

Experiences of individuals like Henry led neuroscientists at Cambridge University to explore possible similarities between compulsive sexual behavior (CSB, an impulse control disorder that encompasses compulsive pornography use) and known addictions like substance-use disorders or behavioral addictions like gambling. 

📣ACTION: Ask Your State Legislators to Protect Children from Pornography!

Wondering How to Save Money for Giving Tuesday? Imagine This:

It's a Friday night and the weather is getting colder. It's the perfect time to sit down with family and watch a movie. You scroll through the endless sea of movie streaming platforms as your family debates over what to watch. While you're doing this, you come to the realization... "Wait a minute... How many streaming services am I paying for? I don't even use all of these!"

Maybe it's time to cancel those dormant subscriptions—or anything else you're needlessly spending money on—and donate those savings to NCOSE on Giving Tuesday!

Giving Tuesday is a global campaign that encourages people to do good. It is a day dedicated to charitable contributions worldwide.

Please mark December 3rd on your calendar and be prepared to give! Any dollar amount you can contribute has an impact in the fight against sexual exploitation.

"Tech Companies Have Taken Our Power and Rights Away as Parents"

NCOSE CEO, Dawn Hawkins, talks about the ways Big Tech companies continue to evade responsibility for the harms their technologies inflict on their users, especially children. They put children directly in harm's way by failing to automatically implement safety controls on child accounts and then making it extremely difficult for parents to turn these controls on. 

We are grateful to our allies at Bark, for uplifting NCOSE's efforts to combat these issues. Click below to watch the entire video, posted by Bark.

📣ACTION: Encourage Your Senators & Representatives to Co-sponsor Essential Child Protection Legislation

Because many tech companies fail to prioritize child safety, we need legislation to force their hand. Take action below, calling for legislation that would require tech companies to protect children! 

Sincerely,