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Internetpornography - in the life of our teenagers no taboo

Parents often ask themselves when their child / children develop this "curiosity" about sexual / pornographic content and from which age they should be especially careful. For this, we can not make a general statement, since each child has its own development agenda and, in addition, the family and social environment play an important role. Important for you is also not exactly the time to know when your child could start watching these content. It is much more important for you to be open for your child as a contact person, and to avoid a usually so embarrassed topic, but to seek the conversation.

The fact that teenagers deal with sexual and / or pornographic content is normal and part of their development task. To deal with one's own as well as with the foreign sexuality and thereby the possibility of the Internet to use, belongs now to the adult. In the World Wide Web, longing and curiosity can be gratified, orientation or even first experiences can be collected ("how is that actually?").

The contact with sexual content or even pornography on the Internet does not necessarily lead to, for example, erroneous sexual representations or conceptions of the girl or the young. Important is the role of adults, especially those of the parents. In order to help your child with the processing and classification of the media contents, we have briefly outlined the following information for you in the following sections:

  • What for youngsters use the Internet?
  • What role does sex education play on the Internet?
  • And how do girls or boys face pornography?

Young people and the Internet

Young people use the Internet above all:

  • As a source of information
    Especially for the homework and questions that interest them, such as among others. The sexuality
  • As a means of communication
    primarily through online communities and messenger services
  • For entertainment purposes
    Listening to music / radio, watching movies, playing computer games
  • For sexual socialization
    Experiences with flirting and pornography

Source: Jugendsexualität im Internetzeitalter

Sex education on the Internet

Girls and boys in the youth age use the Internet with regard to sexual content,

  • In search of information about sexuality and sex education
    Especially when the first experiences with sexuality as well as the topic of relationship move closer, the interest and the need for information increase. Searched topics are for example:
    • Sexual practices (positions, oral and anal sex)
    • New, not yet known terms (e.g., fetish, "blow job")
    • Contraception questions (v.a. girls)
    • HIV, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases (especially boys)
    • Pregnancy symptoms (in emergency situations)
    • Sex Toys
    • Sexuality in general (sexual development, menstruation, etc.)
    • The other sex (satisfaction of curiosity)
    • Experience reports from the "first time"
  • In this context, so-called sexting is also mentioned.

    What is Sexting? The word "sexting" consists of the words "sex" and "texting". Via the Internet (computer, smartphones, etc.) specially created free / erotic photo / videos are sent and / or exchanged, which are also accompanied by a comment. Young people use the services "WhatsApp" or "Snapchat" for their actions.

    The aim is to obtain feedback from the opposite of one's own body / presentation, or to discover one's own sexuality.

    The consequences are not always in sight, many young people regret this step not infrequently. For example, As a proof of love for the partner, can be used after a separation as "evil weapon". As recent studies have shown that girls and boys have discovered the "sexten" for themselves, they are also more affected by the unpleasant consequences of this "action" (for example, by cyber bullying, further spreading marginalization is exceeded, etc.).

    In addition to sending erotic photos / videos as proof of love, the flirting / "try on-line" (for example, in the chat) or the "courage test" in the circle of friends are among the most common reasons why adolescents get carried away to such pictures.

    Source: klicksafe.de, 2017

    For flirting, chatting, dates, for social services and sex contacts
    The Internet as a new experience offers many opportunities for erotic encounters. The most frequently used variant is online flirtation, which initially serves as an experimental field and later in the search for partners. A variety of means of communication are used to determine whether one is able to relate to one another and to look again and again to see whether this feeling can continue to exist. It is very rare that these online encounters are a real acquaintance, and even more rarely are non-contact sexual contacts (one-night stands).
    The Internet offers from the perspective of the young people
    • a low-threshold entry into the world of erotic encounters
    • a test platform for the first experiences with the rules of flirtation
    • a positioning of themselves and others at the partner market
    • a test of one's own attractiveness and self-staging and that without unpleasant costs or consequences.
  • to the consumption of pornography
    "Porn is normal and part of everyday media consumption"
    Getting pornographic content has never been as easy and cost-effective as it is today.

Source: Jugendsexualität im Internetzeitalter

Sources

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