CYBERSPACE – CBS News is once again tackling the pornography issue, this time claiming that a large group of Americans are addicted to adult images.According to a new CBSnews.com story, an estimated 40 million Americans use the Internet to look at porn. While some of those surfers might be casual or even one-time consumers of adult entertainment, CBS claims that approximately ten percent of online adult entertainment fans are “addicted,” resulting in either family problems of financial distress. While that number might seem high, CBS admits that zeroing in on accurate numbers that detail mostly private behavior is difficult.

The language used by the CBS report is also at question. Not everyone agrees that the word “addiction” is appropriate when applied to use of adult entertainment. Sex therapist Lousanne Cole Weston, PhD, believes that excessive use of pornography to the point where is creates personal problems for the user is more accurately described as “compulsive” behavior, not an addiction.

Other sex researchers have pointed out that media coverage of “porn addiction” might cause some users to self-diagnose themselves as “addicts.” According to Erick Janssen of the Kinsey Institute, treating excessive porn use as an addiction may be counterproductive.

There are others still who see “porn addiction” language as a political tool for far right ideologues.

“I think of porn addiction as a label that’s used to put down behavior that’s disapproved of socially,” says Violet Blue, author of The Ultimate Guide to Adult Videos. “A lot of it is shaming masturbation.”

In fact, the religious right has used “pornography addiction” in its rhetoric, and has suggested to Congress itself that adult entertainment should be regulated and censored for this exact reason.

In November of 2004, a champion of religious right values appeared before a congressional subcommittee and argued that pornography is as addictive as crack cocaine.

The “addiction” push however, isn’t just coming from psychologists and religious fundamentalists. News shows and talk shows have also pushed this language. The Oprah Winfrey show once aired an episode that decried a “porn epidemic,” hearing from gospel singer Kirk Franklin who claimed that pornography almost ruined his life. There was no effort to present any objections to claims that porn can cause a genuine addiction rather than compulsive behavior.

So far, Americans don’t seem too concerned by the regular media visits to the “porn addiction” push. In the meantime, adult industry activists will need to sit back and wait to see whether this continuing angle is something that will eventually create censorship concerns for adult business professionals.