When MediaSmarts conducted its focus groups with young Canadians, it heard quite a bit about the important role the Internet plays in their "exploring and learning about sexuality and relationships," the Canadian digital literacy organization says. But the authors write that the survey itself – of 5,000+ students in grades 4-11 – suggests that that role may be smaller than you'd think, with only … [Read more...] about Youth sexuality, romance & digital media in Canada: Study
pornography
What is online risk?: Helpful clarity from Europe
To survey 9-to-16-year-olds and their parents in 25 countries, UK-based EU Kids Online came up with questions and definitions that people of all ages and many cultures and languages could understand – bringing a useful sense of definition to youth advocates worldwide. Here are the online "risk factors" about which all the researchers (based throughout Europe) asked their young respondents: Have … [Read more...] about What is online risk?: Helpful clarity from Europe
Young people’s views about sexual content online
As the 12- and 13-year-old girls tell New York magazine writer Alex Morris how they use Omegle, another ChatRoulette-type site (in groups with fake names and disconnecting often and fast when the chat gets "perverted"), they describe how differently boys handle sexual content online. It reminds me of a thought-provoking 2005 Boston Globe article, "The Secret Life of Boys" (that I blogged about … [Read more...] about Young people’s views about sexual content online
Video sex chat on phones
Porn operators have long been early adopters of new technology. Now it's video on smartphones. What's newly concerning about it is that video phone-based porn is getting more personal, more one-to-one, more like Webcam conversations. "Video sex chat," as it's described in this Washington Post piece, stands to make the adult content industry "big money," according to the article and is already … [Read more...] about Video sex chat on phones
Some DIY porn makers start young
Do-it-yourself porn production is a growing trend, reports KATU News in Portland, Ore., and some producers get into it out of financial desperation, they say. One mentioned in this report started when she was 17. KATU cites psychologists as saying there's danger to DIY porn, "both to the viewer and the provider." Dr. Ryan Hosley told KATU "that watchers of the videos become addicted because it … [Read more...] about Some DIY porn makers start young