- Research Discovers Widespread Exposure among Youth to Pornographic Content and Sexting Practices
Many young individuals in Germany, as per a study, have encountered pornography or engaged in sexting. Approximately 42% of the 3,000 participants aged 11 to 17 nationwide admitted to watching an explicit video. This figure represents a notable surge from the previous year, when 35% admitted to such activity, as documented by a survey conducted by the North Rhine-Westphalia media authority. The rise is particularly alarming due to a significant increase among the youngest group, children between 11 and 13 years old.
"Porn isn't designed for kids. Yet, today's youth are exposed to it long before they reach adulthood, and not just that, they're also producing and sharing explicit content themselves," the media authority reported. This trend of sexting is indeed prevalent: 25% of the respondents admitted to receiving a sexually explicit text, naked images, videos, or explicit emojis.
Initial encounters are often unintentional
For parents and educators, it's challenging to comprehend how effortlessly kids can access pornography today and furthermore, share such content online, said Tobias Schmid, director of the media authority in Düsseldorf. "But the study makes it clear: This happens. We are compelled to safeguard minors."
The first encounter with pornography typically occurs unintentionally – often at the age of 12 to 15, as revealed by the media authority. Among those who reported having experienced pornography, about half mentioned they had only done so "1 or 2 times." Consequently, very few respondents have a regular porn viewing habit, according to the media authority. Most find it challenging to grasp what they've witnessed.
Is there a link between porn consumption and sexting?
Although a definitive link between early porn consumption and interaction with self-produced pornographic material cannot be proved, there's a reasonable suspicion, as around 42% of minors who reported having watched a pornographic video also participate in sexting and claim to be motivated by porn for their sexting behavior. "The respondents mirror what they discover in porn into their own actions," the authority concluded. However, the survey also showed that almost half of minors with porn experience – 48% – agreed with the statement: "I've seen things in porn that I wish I hadn't."
Of the 25% of the 3,000 respondents who received a sexting message, it was usually sent unsolicited – in 79% of cases. Only 9% reported having sent a sexting message themselves – with boys doing so marginally more frequently than girls.
In this small group, about one-third of boys and girls cited "just for fun" or flirting as their motivation, or to send a "very personal picture/video" to their partner. However, it was also detected that the recipients were often not known to the senders.
WhatsApp is the preferred platform for sexting
WhatsApp has strengthened its position as the platform for sexting compared to last year, when the authority conducted its initial study of this kind. It's assumed that the group chat function on WhatsApp contributes to increased communication with unknown individuals, the media authority explained. On the other hand, Snapchat has lost popularity as a sexting medium, notably among older girls.
Schmid emphasized that more education, support services, and reliable youth media protection in the digital realm are needed. "With initiatives like Medienscouts NRW and our approach to addressing the lack of youth protection on the world's largest porn platforms, we are addressing this issue."
Children are frequently exposed to pornography at an early age, often unintentionally, as reported by the media authority. This alarming trend is leading some children to participate in sexting, with around 42% of those who watched an explicit video also engaging in sexting.
