Media Sexting Research Paper

Lenny Smith

4/27/2016

Dr. Curzo-Duchart

Media Panics

Sexting & Facebook

The usage of the Internet over the years has become something of second nature in today’s world. Everywhere people go they are exposed to the Internet whether they can help it or not. As “smartphones” become more and more incorporated into our everyday lives we are almost forced to use the Internet. The endless amount of Internet access that kids have today leave a wide landscape as to what they are seeing on the Internet, mainly from these social networking sites. In a quote from Sheldon and Geyorgyan’s work stating, “Facebook, with its 21 million registered users and 1.6 billion page views each day, is one of the fastest growing social network sites” (pg. 2). This also

suggests that these numbers are continuously growing as these social networking sites adapt to this online world. But with all this use social media activity is the content really that much of an issue?
According to Ruckel she states, “Sexual objectification is communicated through many sources of media…” showing that people are using these social networking sites, and in this case Facebook, to in some ways exchange sexual content. However we see in Hasinoff’s writing where she states, “A teenager who chooses to send sexually explicit images to a peer is engaging in a very different activity than someone who distributes a private image with malicious intent or coercers another person to produce an explicit image” (pg. 450). As we also know there is a difference from someone who choses to put up images on the Internet and a viewer who may or may not purposefully view these images. The Internet has allowed for people to be able to see anything at any time of every waking hour of the day. For people to use the Internet to such an extreme extent, they too are chosing to use this media for this certain reason. Both sexting and just general exposure to the World Wide Web has now become something that we are going to be dealing with in our lifetimes. The concerns that come with sexting or with the online exposure to Facebook or other social networks don’t really correlate with the facts of these studies. According to Hasinoff’s writing, “However, a large scale study of sexting among young adults found no correlations between sexting and risky sexual behaviors and attachment anxiety” (pg. 450). To agree with Hasinoff, there have been no other findings in my research that also draw a connection between the sexual behaviors of young men and women who are exposed to the same type of Internet content. There seems to be this large concern over what is being looked at rather the actual effects of what is happening society.
There are some differences between the sexting sensation and inappropriate Internet content, which is that all sexting is illegal as opposed to the Internet, where it is solely up to user what they are want to see and how they are going to go about it.

As sexting is more of a person-to-person “issue” the Internet is for everyone to see whether you choose or not. Continuing with this idea sexting is left up to the people that are sharing the content to each other, whereas the Internet you do not need any permission to view what you choose to view. In other words the Internet has less boundaries than sexting. Another key yet subtle difference is that there are certain degrees of trust when it comes to this newly formed sexting, as opposed to the Internet you basically just log on and view whatever you would like to. Now this level of trust is a key thing to realize because people, particularly girls and women, are sharing things that they are not supposed to. As evidence of the possible dangers of unauthorized sharing of a “sext message” Hasinoff shows that, “Though people may enjoy sharing sexual images consensually, teenage girls report being disturbed and traumatized by the unauthorized distribution of their private images” (pg. 450). In contrast to this there seems to now be a better, although not full, understanding that whatever makes its way on to the can and will be seen by more than just your intended audience. Releasing unauthorized photos or messages that initially were not intended to be seen by others would be another reason as to why sexting and Internet content do vary. There seems to a level of betrayal that comes with releasing sexualized messages compared to the Internet where it seems to be up to the other users how the interpret, share, or even look at the content on the Internet. Although there may be some differences in the way that these two “media panics” are used, each do share some commonalities as

well.
The similarities that may seem to be a stretch may actually be closer than some may think about sexting and Internet usage. As we seen some commonplace between the two outlets there seems to be some underlying creed that people have when it comes to these shared images or messages. In a quote from Sheldon and Geyorgyan’s piece they both claim that, “The difference between chatrooms and social networking sites is that the majority of communication in online social networks takes place asynchronously and within the network of ‘friends’ that the particular user has established” (pg. 5). Linking this to the sexting panic people are sharing these images initially with people that they would consider to be a closer friend or desire to be some closer than that. Along with the idea that there is some sort of code or understanding when sharing this content with others, there is also the similarity that people are able to present themselves in their own manner, almost like making themselves their own brand. Similarly people can send these “sext messages” in certain ways that they choose to be seen, whether it is full nudity or just something a little more risqué with a little more sexual motivations attached with the message. In a study done by Chung and Ahn, which explores online branding, they both write, “Measures of website perception (as a brand), liking, and satisfaction with the website are all important for the creation of a strong website” (pg. 175). Complimenting this idea of yourself as a brand on a website would be the research done by Fullwood, Galbraith, and Morris, exploring the idea that, “Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are characterized by three distinctive features. First, they allow individuals to create a profile within a web-based system to define their visual presence” (pg. 388). Making your online image almost as a “web-based” brand is something that is of a newer concept but in reality that is how these Facebook pages grow and gain more exposure on the Internet, through the “likes” it gets. Linking this to the sexting epidemic people basically have found a way to expose themselves in the ways that they personally desire to be “liked” which is something that has seemingly had a major impact in this day in age. Another comparison that is more on a more simplistic level is the overwhelming availability of pictures, videos, certain messages, and other content on the Internet or sent to a phone. One final similarity that may been of some concern to the public would be that more often times than not girls or, women are the ones being viewed as opposed to boys or, men who are the ones doing all the viewing. For obvious reasons that are supported by Hasinoff’s work stating that, “A 2006 national online safety campaign produced by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Postal Inspection Service warns girls to be careful about they post online in order to avoid becoming victims of online predators” (pg. 451). She also states later on in the paragraph that, “Cassell and Cramer (2008) explain that this panic brings back familiar fears about the telephone and the telegraph when they were first introduced that young women might use these communication technologies to make contact with inappropriate romantic partners and dangerous strangers” (451). Addressing both of these concerns are definitely something that should be monitored very heavily but are they really as big as people make them seem? Initially everyone freaks out when there is a new technology or media outlet that no one really has a good grasp of, but eventually once people do realize that there are many more positives than negatives there seems to be this sort of fading away of all the skepticism about these newer technological advances. This being said there is definitely some type of attraction to these newer media outlets whether it is females or males, since after all for someone to send a call or message there has to be someone one the other end to receive it.
Though there are some questions whether or not the amount of exposure is somewhat of a problem, which is something that Dr. Tokunaga takes a look at, with his study of “problematic internet use” or PIU. In his research Dr. Tokunaga states in his study, “This research tested the mediating role of PIU in the relationships between psychosocial problems (i.e., social anxiety, loneliness, and depression) and impairment of interpersonal relationships and vocational performance in two studies” (pg. 40). Although his research is relatively new specifically this study since it was done in 2012, there really has not been that much research to find out if this is an actual issue or just a side effect that stems from a greater mental illness. Though there are arguments for both sides there are many similarities when comparing the sexting and social media exposure and their respective “media panics.”
Analyzing some of the differences and similarities between these two panics is something that could be over within the next couple of years. Obviously people will have their own concerns about newer things, which they have no previous knowledge about. This brings us all the way back to one of our very first readings which gives us a look at the different types of reception people have when considering these newer technologies. Gopnik’s piece gives us three particular groups that seem to always appear with newer technologies those being, “Never-Betters, the Better-Nevers, and the Ever-Wasers” (pg. 2). Gopnik’s interpretation of the three different kinds of groups that form when something new does hit our society is something that is consistent over and over again. In today’s world there is an ever-expanding technological advancement that does bring along some negatives, but those negatives are put into the spotlight and are emphasized more than the positivity that these outlets provide. It is very close with the idea of “mean world syndrome” which makes people scared of the outside world because there is an over emphasis on the violence that goes on in America. In hindsight if the 21 million registered users on Facebook were something that were that detrimental to society, then someone would come to light and try and put an end to it, yet there seems to be a lot more happening on these website in a positive manner than just sexting and inappropriate content.
In conclusion, sexting and Facebook do have a negative side to their respective technologies. However, there is the side of the analysis that actually shows that these studies are fairly newer and don’t really know where the rest of the argument will go since our society is expanding on all media platforms. That being said just like many of the other “media panics” that we had discussed throughout the course of the year really never ended up being as bad as people initially thought they were going to be.