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Utah No. 1 in online porn subscriptions, report says

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Give Me A Break | 8:18 p.m. March 3, 2009
The study also found that those who donate blood, engage in volunteer activities, or participate in community projects are more prone to view pornography.
yellow horse | 8:31 p.m. March 3, 2009
Why I never, this is an embarrassment to Utah.
Christine | 8:37 p.m. March 3, 2009
The study actually says that there is little variance between states regarding porn consumption. The media spin by New Science is what is concerning here. Porn is a growing issue across the country, especially amongst young adults, and with UT being the youngest state in the nation, it makes sense that it would be showing a slightly higher rate of consumption than other states.
Comments continue below
The Blame Game | 8:55 p.m. March 3, 2009
Re: Christine, May I remind you that we are talking about "Utah" not anyone, or anywhere else.. just UTAH!

I have too much pride and I am appalled over the people of Utah.

We need to quit blaming the kids for the faults of the adults.. stop blaming others!!!
Darlene | 10:20 p.m. March 3, 2009
I lived in Utah for 11 years and was married to a man who is still addicted to porn and it ruined our lives and our marriage. Porn is a tool that desensitizes your sexual appetite and will ruin any true relationship because there is no way that any real physical interaction between two people can even be real. There are no feelings, and my x-husband is proof of this. It does not matter what state you live in porn is everywhere, EVERYWHERE even in evening television. The degradation of society is real, people no longer have any morals, kindness and being polite or having compassion for your neighbor no longer exists. All of these things you can find no matter if you are in UT, Kansas, Wyoming, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, or the south pole. Come on people what are you really arguing about? People are ill-informed about Mormons so they are fearful and therefore they tend to place blame in ignorant ways.
dan | 10:20 p.m. March 3, 2009
When we are good we are very, very good. But when we are bad, well........
mark | 11:30 p.m. March 3, 2009
Someone stole my name. Couldn't you find your own?
Anonymous | 11:59 p.m. March 3, 2009
Pornography is an ugly thing. This fact should not be discounted. The point that is missed in this study is overall access to pornography in Utah. Utahns (not just Mormons) do not have access to the high number of strip clubs, adult stores and other sexual outlets that are excessively prevalent in other states...the alternative, unfortunately, is found online. Online usage may be higher, but it would be interesting to see overall pornographic/sexual consumption. I would guess that one might find a different outcome.
think again | 12:02 a.m. March 4, 2009
This has nothing to do with backlash over prop 8. I read the same thing about Utah on DN several years ago. In fact, it was commented on in RS recently.
how naive | 12:09 a.m. March 4, 2009
How naive to think the Church is the same in Utah as elsewhere. My RS president commented recently that she visited Utah and not one person spoke to her. I've visited the same ward in Orem twice and twice I was completely ignored as though I was invisible. A sister sitting by me said her Mom was a Stake RS president in AZ and visited Utah and no one spoke to her either. She actually talked to the RS president about it afterwards because it is so rude not to welcome visitors and make them feel at home. Our RS president said how grateful she was that our ward is so friendly and treats visitors and newcomers with love and respect instead of indifference or neglect. Good thing none of us were investigators or nonmembers or less actives returning. They would have received a very skewed view of what the true Church is really like. BTW these were 3 wards in different cities. I'm sure many have had the same experience when visiting Utah.
Mossback George | 12:42 a.m. March 4, 2009
WAY TO GO, MONTANA!!! DEAD LAST AND I LOVE IT.
re Darlene | 10:20 p.m. | 4:12 a.m. March 4, 2009
I've been outspoken here talking about Utah and it's problems and I can't agree with your views that non mormons are ignorant of Utah, I think the reality is Utah is ignorant about Utah and that's why this problem has been around a while now and will continue to stay around until Utah deals with it.

THAT SAID, you speak some real truth about pornography. I don't agree on the same level about how evil it is...it's simply a representation of what exists and always has in the minds of men who are human, be it in a fantasy, the sight of a passing woman, or whatever form it presents itself. But that said again, I absolutely 100% hands down agree, the availability of providing endless visual fantasy images of video sex upon sex upon sex in every body shape, form, and variety and excuse me here...position IS DESENSITIZING. It DOES detract from the physical bond between two partners and in too large and too often a dose...it can replace something very special in a counterfeit way. Experienced it, noticed it, didn't like it, changed it. Good post Darlene.
Steven Burwood | 4:39 a.m. March 4, 2009
All wrongdoings will be revealed. Any porn among a highly LDS predominant population is alarming. People who think that their unclean wants (not needs) can be hidden because they don't have to purchase it a face to face with another is wrong. Not only does the Internet reveal to those who look, God knows everything that we do. Forget Big Brother.
Ted Evans, Jr. | 7:39 a.m. March 4, 2009
For a thoughtful analysis of this porn study check out the following article from The Wall Street Journal...

"Red States, Blue Movies Are conservatives really big porn fans?"

By JAMES TARANTO
fern | 8:16 a.m. March 4, 2009
This article is great, it's always great fun when one can point fingers at the so called bigots but one has to remember that statistics is one science where one plus one never equals two. Religion is a good thing per se the danger lies with religious leaders who use the scriptures as a tool to fulfill their own ambitions hence proposition 8 and all other stuff they come up with. The French philosopher Pascal said it right, if God exists and you led a good life you'll go to heaven if he doesn't exist you'll have led a good life anyway.
Parents grow up! | 9:05 a.m. March 4, 2009
I think you folks need to quit blaming the children of Utah. If UT kids were not told from day one that their whole purpose in life, from the time they are born, that someday they will be gods if they live the mormon rules, and get married, and multiply worlds of people, that they wouldn't think continuously about sex, or how important SEX is to them. I blame the parents, the culture of Utah.
KJ | 10:03 a.m. March 4, 2009
This research, while useful, is difficult to interpret because of the small percentages. 3.6-5.4 subscribers out of 1,000 households is very small. The states on the top on bottom of the list are likely going to be small states because a few extra subscriptions here and there are going to greatly affect the results in those states. That happens whenever you use ratios in a research study.

Also, the forbidden fruit explanation is flawed because folks that are subscribing to porn are not dabbling with forbidden fruit - they are addicted to it. It is likely that the extra two people (per 1000) that are subscribing to porn on Utah are not able to go to strip clubs and other venues like they would in say, NY or CA.
James | 10:32 a.m. March 4, 2009
I love how the document is about the church. How do we know its not all the gay people that are looking at porn, or everyone else? We know this because the church is a GREAT escape goat. If something wrong happens with Utah its because of the LDS church. This makes sense though. Democrats can't be held responsible for their own actions.
Gail | 10:39 a.m. March 4, 2009
To: How Naive--
There is a good reason for the HIGH rate of inactive LDS members in Utah, and I think you hit the nail straight forward on the head. Being a Utah Mormon, I would have to agree with you and say that's it simply just the way of it here. I'm not sure though that it has anything to do with pornography, but I certainly wouldn't be surprised or doubt it in the least.
Concerned Parent | 11:38 a.m. March 4, 2009
I'm glad to see that not every LDS person on here is in denial (eg Mormon Bishop). Let's quit stressing over whether the research is "accurate" (research never really is) and whether Utah's ranking is 1st, 25th, or 50th. That doesn't really matter; what matters is realizing is that this is a real problem (that's why it's mentioned about once a year in someone's conference talk) that includes many among the LDS community. If you are shocked by this, you need to get over that and start being aware.

Youth leaders, parents and teachers can't stress enough to kids that they need to avoid pornography. Many get entangled at a young age by innocently stumbling upon it and not being trained to avoid it. And so it begins. Don't wait until your child is a senior in high school.

Filter your computers. Be aware of your kids. No computers in any private rooms in your home. Prevention of this devastating problem is much more effective than treatment. Let's be aware, heed the advice of our leaders, and quit pretending it doesn't or won't ever ensnare anyone we know.
Big Question ? | 11:48 a.m. March 4, 2009
How can a Harvard survey know what one does, if they themselves are doing it? Regardless of Mormon or Non Mormon, it is a false survey, when they don't really get the figures from both sides.........
COVER IT UP! | 12:07 p.m. March 4, 2009
Lets just sweep it under the rug like we do everything else in Utah. Lets tell ourselves that all these people are liars in the outside world so that we can believe whatever we want to about it.
StatJock | 12:17 p.m. March 4, 2009
Lets have some rationality here.
The four counties that have zip codes with the highest online porn use are Sevier, Salt Lake, Morgan, and San Juan.

If this were a problem with Mormons, then one would expect areas with higher densities of Mormons to have the biggest problem.

San Juan County has the third LOWEST concentration of Mormons of the 29 counties in the state, estimated now at about 37.5%.
Salt Lake County is estimated to be the fourth lowest concentration of Mormons, at about 49%.
On the other hand, Sevier and Morgan have the second and third highest concentrations (around 88%).

Assuming (and this might be a bad assumption) that these numbers are reflected in the individual zip codes as well, then on-line pornography consumption in Utah seems to be independent of Mormon vs. not. Hence, if on-line pornography consumption is higher in Utah than elsewhere, it is not because Mormons consume more on-line pornography than others, but because of other factors most notably the lack of substitute sources. Hence the article (and especially the headline) is shown to be misleading.
MRJ | 12:30 p.m. March 4, 2009
5.47 out of every 1000 people in Utah subscribe to porn sites. According to you Utah Haters that is the vast majority! Utahns are hyprocites because the overwhelming majority of them are involved in this!!

1 out of every 183 citizens are involved in this and that makes a vast majority? Have you considered the fact that Utah has very few adult bookstores and other places to purchase pornography relative to its population? Those who want it therefore get in on line because that is there best option.

If you included all purchases of adult material per capita from state to state the results would be quite different. But forget logic just continue to complain about Utah and use words like hypocrite because it will make you feel better about the lifestyle you are currently engaging in.
Harvard StatJock | 12:39 p.m. March 4, 2009
More reality checking:

Although there has been speculation that the lack of substitutes might have something to do with Utah having somewhat higher on-line consumption of pornography than other states, a look at actual statistics is very revealing.



In 2006 (which is the year of the study in question), on-line pornography accounted for only 22% of the national adult entertainment industry (vs. DVDs/videos, magazines, clubs, etc.).



Assuming that the lack of availability of these other sources of adult entertainment means that Utahs consumption from those sources is far less than in other states, and indeed that the bulk of pornography consumption in Utah is through the Internet alone, then Utah has a substantially LOWER consumption of pornography than other states.


Beware of people who can use statistics to tell lies!
to 12:39 | 1:40 p.m. March 4, 2009
Just more lies. Twist things around why don't you.
Michelle | 1:42 p.m. March 4, 2009
I think this is really funny. But Chris Buttar's says that homosexuals are the biggest threat! Ha! Chew on this for a while, why don't you.
Sal | 1:46 p.m. March 4, 2009
I really like intelligent discussion, but sometimes some of the old refrains get really old. No one in Utah is perfect. Not the Mormons, not the Catholics, not the Protestants, not the gays or anyone else. I have a problem with people who degrade women or men, but if some want to spend their time, money and their life looking at "kinky" things, then so be it. I do have a real problem with people who live in Utah and have nothing but contempt for Utah. Why don't you move to somewhere that you like. The problem is that you wouldn't like that either. Complaining about everything must be so miserable. If you find that complaining is all that gives your life meaning, you are very poor indeed.
Statistics | 1:47 p.m. March 4, 2009
Some interesting statistics about the zip codes cited...(according to an Internet statistics site..)

84766 (Sevier) has a total of 66 households, and has four times the national average in the rate of rapes, and twice the national avereage rate in crime.

84112 (Salt Lake) has 258 households, 1.5 times the rape, and twice the crime of the US average.

84018 (Croydon) has a total of 40 households, has three registered sex offenders, and 1.3 times the national average for rape.

84006 (Bingham Canyon) has 288 household, 4 sex offenders, and 1.5 times the national average for rape.

84536 (Monument valley) is 95% native American. 563 hosueholds. No registered sex offenders, 70% of the national average for reported rapes. Average home value is about 17% that of the rest of the state.
@Sal | 1:57 p.m. March 4, 2009
Sal, You hit the nail on the head. There are so many good things about Utah. I have lived in several states. I love the beauty of this state, the health services, the educational opportunities, cultural opportunities and cultural diversity. I find that if you look for the good, life is more beautiful and peaceful. I too have a problem with those who degrade men and women, whether in print, the internet, television etc. But people do have a choice how they spend their time and money. I hope at the end of life we can all look back and say, I like how I spent my time.
JJ | 3:44 p.m. March 4, 2009
People who are saying that this is an indication of the LDS church in Utah don't understand the numbers. 5.47 people out of every 1000 Utahns subscribe to a service. That's 0.006%, or just over half of one percent. With approximately 2.5 million residents in Utah, that about 15,000 people that are registered to these services. They could all be non-members of the LDS church. It's not likely, but it's possible. It is a very low number.
Woman OTW | 4:36 p.m. March 4, 2009
The comments made that some good can come out of the study if it focuses attention on a serious problem is a good way to view the information in the story.

Mark Chamberlain, co-author of the book "Confronting Pornography" will be the guest speaker at the United Women's Forum on March 11, 2009. The meeting will be held at the Bountiful Library at 10:15 AM.

We invite anyone interested in knowing more about how they can protect their families from this problem or how to get help if they are already confronting it to join us.
to 1:40 | 6:13 p.m. March 4, 2009
In what way did I lie?

I think I am interpreting the data pretty well (after reading the original study by my colleage and taking into account my understanding of local demographics after having lived in Utah for about 8 years). I think that the author of the original study would agree with what I wrote. (It is the people who read the study -- the Deseret News readers -- who are misinterpreting and acontextually sensationalizing the partial data they have been presented.)

While many of the staments in this blog are purely suppositional, I thought that checking some statistics (such as those regarding the use of alternate forms of adult entertainment nationally) would add some objective clarity.

What leads you to belive what I wrote was a "lie"? (Or were you just trying to be cute?)

-- "1:29"
Get Facts Straight | 7:03 p.m. March 4, 2009
The figure is per 1000 BROADBAND USERS (connections) not total households or persons. Some of the ZIP codes listed don't even have 100 houses let alone BROADBAND connections. So assume 50 BROADBAND connections at 5.4% would be 2 that subscribe. To extrapolate this out to per 1000 is not accurate at all.
Simon say's.......... | 7:15 p.m. March 4, 2009
Utah is also number #1 in pulling a leg or two of more than one or two people a day. You people are the top notch, lying, conniving, hoaxsters of all time. It is called follow the leaders of Hoax town USA. No one in the world is surprised that you guys are #1 in PORN TRASH.
TC | 11:34 p.m. March 4, 2009
All things considering, I thought that this was a well written Deseret News article. It actually had more points mitigating or even completely diluting the finds of the Harvard article (such as the lack of pornography available in brick & mortar stores), with the Harvard professor himself saying that the findings are unnaturally skewed towards Utah being number one.

I think that our mostly conservative and mostly religious society in Utah can actually have a sort of oppressed or even rebellious effect on us and cause us to view this wretchedness more, but I'd rather point out that it is a growing problem EVERYWHERE and I would love to be from a state that takes it more seriously than others and works harder to rid it from our lives. I know we can do better!!!
Sevier Town? | 11:40 p.m. March 4, 2009
It's just south of Joseph, Utah and you can drive right past it and not know it's there. ONE single subscription from a tiny place like that can statistically outweigh THOUSANDS from a large city.
Do the Math | 11:56 p.m. March 4, 2009
The data found 3.6 broadband users in 1000 subscribing to online porn. That's 0.36% (less than 1/2 of 1 percent) of the broadband population. Is it possible that this small percentage is made up of the 50% of Utah population that is Non-LDS? There may be no correlation to the LDS population at all. That was not a demographic of the study.
It's not surprising | 7:51 a.m. March 5, 2009
to find that many of these comments are worthless. Please read the article before posting comments. I found it to be well written and informative, which is the intent of the author. So please, all of you who are in love with yourself, please use some sense when making comments about a subject which you do not have any idea what it is about.
Rooster Valley | 8:54 a.m. March 5, 2009
Somebody on here needs a math class. The only sevier towns that I'm aware of are Richfield and Salina. I would think as though everyone there including the cow may be reading porn. Oh, don't forget Scipio.
no suprize | 9:13 a.m. March 5, 2009
welcome to utah the biggist fraud skeem.
(poison) ivy league | 9:17 a.m. March 5, 2009
re; would never lie to us | 4:51 p.m. March 3, 2009

>>How dare you question a professor from Harvard?!?!

President Hopenchange is a Harvard graduate.<<

So was the last president and Bill O'Reilly too.
Frank Castle | 9:21 a.m. March 5, 2009
re: @Sal | 1:57 p.m. March 4, 2009

>> I love the beauty of this state, the health services, the educational opportunities, cultural opportunities and cultural diversity.<<,

Ah, yes the inversion & the fact that this state ethnically still resembles a mayo on wonder bread sandwich.
Johnny Utah #9 | 9:37 a.m. March 5, 2009
This study is just for people who pay for porn. There are plenty of free sites that I'm sure get 10 times the amount of traffic when compared to the pay sites. I'd bet the study of the free sites compared to pay sites would have staggering results.
Tony Luna Puerto de Luna | 9:54 a.m. March 5, 2009
I thought it was the economy straining adult basic education.
Anonymous | 10:10 a.m. March 5, 2009
As Brigham Young said, "main street in salt lake will run knee-deep with blood at the second coming". Maybe it's time we looked in the mirror. I'm not saying that "Utah" means "Mormon" either. There are many non-members and i'd bet that a small portion of those are active and faithful in the church but there are still some. Way too many in fact. It is a huge problem that needs to be fixed. Who cares if others point and blame, lets show some humility and fix it. I for one am not innocent and realize a change has to be made soon.
Re 10:10 | 10:43 a.m. March 5, 2009
Like Brigham Young had a lot of room to talk about anything. He never had one single revelation while he was alive! And for that matter not even ONE for practicing polygamy, so you wonder where Bro. Young came up with that one?

There is a BIG problem in Utah and the culture here.
Obama Republican | 11:06 a.m. March 5, 2009
Number one in Porn! Number one in Bankruptcy!

What is next?
Open Your Eyes | 1:02 p.m. March 5, 2009
LDS/Mormons are hypocrites?? If you meet a mormon, they are going to be hypocritical and judge you no matter what. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! People in general are hypocritical and are going to judge whoever they want when they want. Maybe you should stop judging "mormons" and look in the mirror. Who are the real Hypocrites????
When | 1:32 p.m. March 5, 2009
Are Utahans going to learn that there is free porn on the internet?

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