Elsevier

Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology

Volume 25, Issue 6, November–December 2004, Pages 741-750
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology

Inadvertent exposure to pornography on the Internet: Implications of peer-to-peer file-sharing networks for child development and families

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2004.09.009Get rights and content

Abstract

This essay comprises testimony to the Congressional Committee on Government Reform. The Committee's concern was the possibility of exposure to pornography when children and teens participate in peer-to-peer file-sharing networks, which are extremely popular in these age groups. A review of the relevant literature led to three major conclusions: (1) Pornography and related sexual media can influence sexual violence, sexual attitudes, moral values, and sexual activity of children and youth. (2) Peer-to-peer file-sharing networks are part of an all-pervasive sexualized media environment. This total environment, including file-sharing networks, leads to a tremendous amount of inadvertent and unintentional exposure of children and young people to pornography and other adult sexual media. Peer-to-peer networks and the Internet differ from other sexualized media in that young people construct important components of this sexualized environment themselves. (3) A warm and communicative parent–child relationship is the most important nontechnical means that parents can use to deal with the challenges of the sexualized media environment, including peer-to-peer file-sharing networks. In addition, open parent–child channels for communicating about sexual and media experiences, sex education at home or school, and parental participation with children on the Internet are constructive influences. For boys already at risk for antisocial behavior, parents should carefully monitor and severely limit access to pornography on file-sharing networks and elsewhere.

Section snippets

Preliminary comments

What follows is my testimony to the Congressional Committee on Government Reform on March 13, 2003. Their concern was the possibility of exposure to pornography when children and teens participate in peer-to-peer file-sharing networks, which are extremely popular in these age groups.

Except for the introductory paragraph, where I introduce myself to the Committee, which I have deleted, and this explanatory section, which I have added, I have kept all of the format and wording of the testimony

Overview

My testimony focused on three questions. I then go into each question in detail. I begin with these questions and with a summary of my answers.

Consumption of sexual media is related to the sexual activity and attitudes of adolescents. (This applies not just to pornography, but also to other types of sexualized files, such as music videos and R-rated movies, that are circulated on peer-to-peer file-sharing networks.)

  • (a)

    A number of surveys, from junior high to college, indicate that exposure to MTV (MTV-style music video files are very common on peer-to-peer networks) and R-rated films are correlated with premarital sexual permissiveness (Malamuth & Impett, 2001). Experimental studies confirm that exposure to music videos such as those seen on MTV can actually liberalize attitudes toward premarital sex, and this is particularly true for girls (Malamuth & Impett, 2001).

  • (b)

    In a field experiment, college students

Important issues in need of future research

Pornography on peer-to-peer file-sharing networks is not unique, but is part of a highly sexualized media environment. By analogy to television and violence research, one likely developmental outcome of overexposure to sexual media is desensitization. Another outcome is the culture of the body, especially for females (L. Greenfield, 2002). But how does desensitization affect the emerging sexuality of young people? What are the psychological costs and benefits of this body culture? What is the

What does pornography on file-sharing programs (and elsewhere) mean to children and their development?

In sum, the evidence indicates that pornography and related sexual media can influence sexual violence, the sexual attitudes, moral values, and sexual activity of children and youth.

What are the challenges that parents face in reducing their children's access to pornography on peer-to-peer networks and elsewhere?

In sum, peer-to-peer file-sharing networks are extremely popular with young people. They are part of an all-pervasive sexualized media environment. This total environment, including file-sharing networks, leads to a tremendous amount of inadvertent and unintentional exposure of children and young people to

Acknowledgements

The author is Director of the Children's Digital Media Center, UCLA, and member of the Department of Psychology and the FPR-UCLA Center for Culture, Brain, and Development. The presentation of this testimony to the Committee on Government Reform, House of Representatives, Congress of the United States, was supported by a collaborative grant from the National Science Foundation for the Children's Digital Media Center, UCLA. I would like to express my appreciation to Dr. L. Monique Ward,

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