In a recent explorative survey of three hundred Internet users, a significant relationship was found between online exposure to sexualized content and sexual obsession, deviation and perversion (in both online and offline behavior).¹ Given this and other findings that have repeatedly shown sexually explicit material to influence moral values and sexual activity among children and youth (including sexually aggressive behavior)², many parents are understandably concerned about what content their children are gaining access to online.

Conducting an image search for an innocuous subject like ‘MasterCard’ can have children confronted with sexually explicit images in a matter of seconds. Clearly, sexually explicit material is observed not only by those who actively seek it out; rather, exposure to sexually explicit content is often unintentional.³ However, what may start out as ‘accidental’ may paradoxically encourage future sexually oriented surfing habits. One study indicates 25 per cent of adolescent males and five per cent of girls go on to consume sexual content at least once a week.⁴

Internet filter and accountability software are great tools for parents to safeguard children from both accidental and intentional access to sexually explicit content. However, parents also need to foster healthy communication with their child about ethical online behavior. Becoming aware of juvenile surfing habits is the first step for their protection. Do you know about your children’s online activities? How are you safeguarding your kids?

Sources
D Dèttore & A Giannelli, ‘Explorative survey on the level of online sexual activities and sexual paraphilias’, Abstracts of the 9th Conference of the European Federation of Sexology, vol. 17, no. 1, 2008, p. 15
P Greenfield, ‘Inadvertent exposure to pornography on the Internet: Implications of peer-to-peer file-sharing networks and child development and families’, Applied Developmental Psychology, vol. 25, 2004, pp. 741-50.
K Cameron, L Salazar, J Bernhardt, N Burgess-Whitman, G Wingwood, & R DiClemente, ‘Adolescents’ experience with sex on the web: Results from online focus groups’, Journal of Adolescents, vol. 28, 2005, pp. 535-40.
Peter & Valkenburg, pp. 178-204.

On the second Friday of every month, the InternetSafety.com Blog will be posting guest video posts from Dr. Robi Sonderegger, clinical psychologist and founding director of Family Challenge Australia, and consultant and policy adviser on the rehabilitation of trauma associated with war, sexual exploitation (human trafficking) and natural disaster worldwide.

Filed under: Internet Safety Tips