Rick Kardos

For the past 24 years I have directed an organization and led recovery groups therein for men struggling with an addiction to pornography and other compulsive sexual activity. In those 24 years I have personally spoken with, counseled, and brought a healing plan to over two thousand men (at the very least) and I can count on one hand the number where unwanted phonography wasn't part of the genesis of the addiction. Stories of broken marriages, divorce, criminal proceedings, abuse of children, incarceration, horrible abuse of women, the list could go on of terrible results of porn use shared with me over the years. I am also a concerned and involved parent and grandparent who wants to protect children in digital spaces. Even with the best security measures and diligent monitoring, technology evolves, and curious minors and even the totally unaware can find their way into apps designed to lure them into porn sites meant to corrupt, degrade, and destroy young (and old) minds. I do not exaggerate and have accurate numbers to back up my claims. Protecting their privacy and data is too great a job for any parent. App stores can easily implement basic safeguards of age verification and parental consent for any app listed in the store to ensure the best protections for our children. NH needs HB1658.