Let's talk about sex baby...cyber sex that is!

Cyber sex is an act whereby two or more people can have virtual sexual encounters. People can participate in these sorts of activities with the help of computers and the Internet. Basically, sexually explicit messages are sent back and forth between persons who describe imaginary sexual experiences. This type of Internet pornography is a sort of fantasy sex that is mostly written. However, an individual may also have access to a webcam in which case visual imagery can also be a part of the experience. I imagine this form of sexual encounter could become quite frustrating if your computer locks up or disconnects from the Internet.

Internet pornography is pornography that is distributed via Internet websites and file-sharing. It can be a popular way to find porn because of the accessibility and anonymity.






Pornography Time Statistics


Every second - $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography

Every second - 28,258 Internet users are viewing pornography

Every second - 372 Internet users are typing adult search terms into search engines

Every 39 minutes: a new pornographic video is being created in the United States





Internet Pornography Statistics -

Pornographic websites - 4.2 million (12% of total websites)

Pornographic pages - 420 million

Daily pornographic search engine requests - 68 million (25% of total search engine requests)
Daily pornographic emails - 2.5 billion (8% of total emails)


Internet users who view porn - 42.7%
Received unwanted exposure to sexual material - 34%
Average daily pornographic emails/user - 4.5 per Internet user

Monthly Pornographic downloads (Peer-to-peer) -1.5 billion (35% of all downloads)

Daily Gnutella "child pornography" requests - 116,000

Websites offering illegal child pornography - 100,000

Sexual solicitations of youth made in chat rooms - 89%


Youths who received sexual solicitation - 1 in 7 (down from 2003 stat of 1 in 3)

Worldwide visitors to pornographic web sites - 72 million visitors to pornography: Monthly
Internet Pornography Sales - $4.9 billion

Children Internet Pornography Statistics


Average age of first Internet exposure to pornography - 11 years old

Largest consumer of Internet pornography - 35 - 49 age group

15-17 year olds having multiple hard-core exposures - 80%
8-16 year olds having viewed porn online - 90% (most while doing homework)

7-17 year olds who would freely give out home address - 29%

7-17 year olds who would freely give out email address - 14%

Children's character names linked to thousands of porn links - 26 (Including Pokemon and Action Man)


In the article Internet Porn: Worse Than Crack? Written by Ryan Single (2004), a debate rises over whether or not Internet pornography is more addictive and more dangerous than street drugs. Mary Anne Layden, co-director of the Sexual Trauma and Psychopathology Program at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Cognitive Therapy, argues that "To have drug pumped into your house 24/7, free, and children know how to use it better than grown-ups know how to use it -- it's a perfect delivery system if we want to have a whole generation of young addicts who will never have the drug out of their mind."

In this same article Satinover from the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality argues that "Pornography really does, unlike other addictions, biologically cause direct release of the most perfect addictive substance", he then explains that pornography leads to masturbation, which causes the release of opioids, something that “heroin can't do, in effect”.

It appears to me however that Satinover’s argument is flawed. His argument is that, the feeling you get from masturbating is more addictive than the feeling you get when you take heroin. Even if pornography was to be taken out of the picture than masturbation can still occur and probably would, so is the problem pornography? Also I think it is ridiculous to compare heroin and pornography. Obviously he has never known anybody who has a heroin addiction if he can honestly think that a porn addiction is worse.

Advantages of cybersex and Internet pornography

The following is a cartoon video with the message

that the Internet is for porn.

It is interesting to notice that the female character

is the only one who is against porn.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5430343841227974645&q=internet+for+porn

* One can participant in sexperiences without fear of sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy.

* It is a fairly safe way of exploring sexual desires and emotions, especially for young people.

* Partners who are physically separated can participate in virtual sexual acts.

* People can explore sexual desires (Doring, N 2000) that otherwise would not feel comfortable expressing in reality, especially if they are social unacceptable e.g. rape.

* And, for people who are disabled or widowed, the Internet is an outlet where they can have a relationship where under regular circumstances they could not.

Disadvantages of cybersex and Internet pornography

The following video is a funny example of how cyber sex can go horribly wrong

http://www.funnyhub.com/videos/pages/videos/cyber-sex-gone-bad.html

* Because pornography is such a big industry and avid pornography viewers are always in demand for new exciting images, unsociable pornography can be made. These can be sexual videos with unwilling participants. Such as children, rape victims, incest rape victims and animals.

* People in relationships may be “cheating” with online partners which may put strain on the relationship.

* Online harassment as examined by Nicola Doring (2000) which can have a person scared for their safety.

* Misleading, false identity and/or deception. People can pretend to be whoever they want e.g. whatever age, whatever sex. This in essence is not all that harmful but if the 'made up' person asks to meet with an individual it can be harmful.

* Virtual rape which involves any sort of sexual suggestion that continues when it is unwanted, especially if a person knows an individual does not want to participate and writes sexual passages toward them anyway. I think virtual rape could also be someone sending a nude picture of themselves or a video or them masturbating when the person who they are sending it did not agree for the images to be sent.

* Cyber prostitution especially when it is female prostitution can give people the wrong idea about what sex is and what a female is suppose to do or take from an individual. A similar outcome can be drawn with cyber porn in general. Women can be represented as many representations of femininity. Such as, the rebelious asexual tomboy ; the goodlooking, supermum housewife; and the siren.

There is argument on whether or not a person who is in a relationship is truly cheating on their partner if the other relationship/s is only hyper real. I think the answer is neither yes or no. In my opinion it is destructive and hurtful to the relationship and both partners. Cybersex and Internet pornography can be a good way of exploring ones sexuality and desires that otherwise could not be explored. It is helpful for people who are unable to have relationships under “normal circumstances” and the Internet insures safety when it comes to STI’s and pregnancy. It seems as though it can be addictive but then again so can many things e.g. chocolate. In my honest opinion however, I think Internet porn and Cybersex can breed predators and although the majority of people only look up regular porn, the percentage of people who look up illicit porn outweighs any benefits cybersex and exploring desires can have.