Cybersex….. Now everyone can get lucky!

With the internet ever growing and expanding, it is becoming more popular and accessible every day. As the internet evolves; so too, does the content and information provided on it. It can be said that 20 odd years ago, sex in cyber-space or ‘cybersex’ as we know it, was only a figment. However now, online pornography, cybersex and online porn communities exist in abundance. Today, people can access a plethora of erotic material on the internet and can do so, anonymously, discretely, cheaply and as often as they want.

This over abundance and ease of access to erotic material seems to now raise the question of whether this has a positive or negative effect on our society or is it simply an unstoppable thing that we all must learn to live with. It has been noted in A.C Hall and M.J Bishop’s book ‘Pop-Porn’ that there is growing concern surrounding accessibility of erotic material. The writers go on to make the connection of: “Library’s have computers, computers have the internet, the internet has porn and children can access these computers at the library. Does this mean this is now a library for porn?” This connection makes the point of how easy children can access the internet and anything within it. There have; of course, been measures put in place to limit children from accessing such material. Internet filters have been developed to lock out unwanted websites, but is this enough?

Another point of concern (that has existed for almost as long as the internet itself) is the issue of security. Many people are aware that there is no guarantee that a person that you may be interacting with on the internet is in fact who they say they are. This issue; especially in regards to online porn communities and intimate chat websites, has been a major point of concern as it is known for being prone to attracting older men to chat with younger (sometimes much to younger) girls. As we know, no one is ever who they say they are in these online interactions.

With all these possible dangers aside, it still seems that many, many people are using online porn and undertaking cybersex activities. It has been argued that internet porn can be addictive, in one article in particular: Internet Porn: Worse than crack? The author has gone as far to say that an internet porn addiction could be compared to a drug addiction such as crack cocaine. Is this possible? I don’t think so. I believe that the two cannot even be compared. The only similarity that I would agree with is the fact that the internet can be addictive no matter what websites one chooses to use. In the way of online porn and cyber, I think it could be quite addictive for people who may not have the best luck in their sexual endeavors in everyday life. Websites have since been developed that take advantage of people’s potential insecurities and can enable them to interact sexually in a virtual world, where their physical or social flaws are irrelevant. Websites like ‘Red Light Centre’ do exactly this and give people the chance to make an ideal virtual self (much like second life) and then engage in flirting, chatting and even cybersex.

So is online porn and cybersex a bad thing? I don’t think so. I believe it should be there for people who wish to use it but should not be wide spread and displayed on every website you visit. With the way the internet is at the moment, anyone can create websites and post them on the internet. So until there is any regulatory enforcement of web content, it is the counteractive measures people must take if they are to steer clear from cyber sex and online porn.