After his 'sex during work break' suggestions, Putin's comment on porn is viral. What did the Russian President say?

Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised concerns about the widespread global popularity of the pornographic content, suggesting offering more engaging alternatives to internet pornography. Putin acknowledged the wide prevalence of pornographic content and proposed the development of more “interesting” alternatives to capture people's attention, reported Russia Today.

Putin was speaking during his annual 'Direct Line' event in Moscow on Thursday, Putin acknowledged that the issue extends beyond Russia and affects many other countries and that porn is a global ‘scourge’. He emphasised that while banning such content might be an option, it is more important to provide alternatives that can offer a more compelling and interesting experience.

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Putin calls porn 'global problem'

“This is not only our problem, but also the problem of many other countries,” Putin was quoted as saying by Russia Today. “The answer can be what? In general, you could ban it, but you should always offer an alternative that is more interesting than a porn site. So that a person would get in, open a porn site, and say: I’ve already seen this, I want to see something else.”

The remarks made by Putin were part of wider talks on family values and youth issues, where he called for creative ways to address societal challenges.

Vladimir Putin's remarks come at a time when concerns over internet content and its effects on societal norms have reached global proportions. While many countries struggle with regulating adult material, Putin's focus is on fostering a cultural shift that offers more captivating and positive alternatives to online pornography.

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According to a Statista report, visits to adult content websites globally are in billions. As of May 2024, Pornhub recorded around 5.49 billion visits per month, while X videos followed with 4.02 billion monthly visits. The Statista report also stated that adult content remained one of the leading categories for internet traffic.

'Have sex during work breaks'

A few months ago in September, Putin made headlines when he reportedly urged citizens to take part in sexual activity during work breaks to fight the country’s declining birth rate. Putin proposed that employees should use their lunch and coffee breaks for intimate encounters to boost the nation’s population.

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“The preservation of the Russian people is our highest national priority,” Putin said, adding, “The fate of Russia depends on how many of us there will be. It is a question of national importance”, as reported by Metro. The Russian president’s appeal comes amid the country's falling fertility rate, which currently stands at 1.5 children per woman, well below the 2.1 needed for population stability.

Russian Health Minister Yevgeny Shestopalov, who echoed the similar concerns, dismissed the notion that busy work schedules should be an excuse. “You can engage in procreation during breaks because life flies by too quickly,” Metro quoted him as saying. When asked how those working 12 to 14 hours would find time to procreate, he responded, “During break times.”