Clearly, such material is not only inappropriate for children, but potentially harmful. In its early beginnings the Web was essentially free of pornography. However, during the last two years literally tens of thousands of web sites dedicated to distributing adult oriented material have sprung up. This was not viewed as a serious problem as long as the Web was not considered a place that children might and could explore. In accessing this material children are exposed to, or certainly in danger of being exposed to, the Web's vast offering of pornographic material.
Women are also a small part of the Web audience.
Today, the typical user of the World Wide Web is a 29 year-old single male with greater than average interest and expertise in computers. Current designers of Web browsers have designed their product to meet the needs of this core audience. In a sense, software providers have simply not understood how serious the problem of pornography on the Web is to the average family. If the problem remains unanswered, it will eventually restrict access and opportunity to many who might otherwise benefit from what the Web has to offer. The clinical research demonstrates that children exposed to pornography will have it show up in dreams and nightmares.