Asian Journal of Health and Science
p-ISSN: 2980-4302
e-ISSN: 2980-4310
Vol. 2 No. 9 September 2023
The Influence of Social Media on Adolescent Sexual
Behavior:
A Retrospective Analysis
Faculty of Public
Health and Medical Sciences, Universidade da Paz, Timor-Leste
Email: Moniz.lya85@gmail.com
Abstract
In this modern era, the internet has become an
essential part of basic human needs. Social media, as one of the most widely
used platforms, offers various benefits, such as a means of communication and
self-expression. However, behind these benefits, there are various negative
impacts, especially for teenagers and minors. One of them is access to
pornographic content that can influence premarital sexual behavior. This study aims
to analyze the influence of social media on adolescent sexual behavior. The
research method used is a literature study, by collecting and reviewing
theories from various relevant literatures. Based on an analysis of seven
international articles, it was found that adolescents have a very high exposure
to negative content on social media, including pornography. This exposure
increases the risk of unhealthy sexual behavior, where the more often
adolescents are exposed to information and experiences related to sexual
behavior, the stronger the stimulus to imitate the behavior. One significant
impact of unhealthy social media use is the increase in promiscuous sex among
adolescents. The implications of this study emphasize the importance of
supervision and education for adolescents in using social media to minimize
these negative impacts.
Keywords: social media,
sexual behaviour, adolescents.
INTRODUCTION
The birth of social media is one of the advances in
internet technology that greatly influences society. One of the negative
impacts of the use of social media is free sex. One of the groups that is
significantly affected by social media is teenagers. Social media or social
networks are a social structure formed from nodes (generally individuals or
organizations) that are tied to one or more specific types of relationships,
such as values, vision, friends, descendants, and so on (Kustiawan
et al., 2022). Social networks are social
structures that consist of individual or organizational elements. This network
shows how they relate because of their social similarities, ranging from those
they know in everyday life to their families (Astri
et al., 2024).
In this era of globalization, teenagers dominate the
use of social media as a means to find information, entertainment or
communicate with friends and relatives (Capurso
et al., 2020). Social media is also used as a
means of communication and socializing with each other. It is done online,
which allows humans to interact with each other without being limited by space
and time (Habibi,
2018). Social media does not remove human
boundaries to socialize, space and time limitations; with this social media,
humans can communicate wherever they are and at any time, no matter how far
away they are day or night (Onasoga
et al., 2020).
One of the groups that is very affected by social
media is teenagers (Pugesehan
et al., 2023). For the community, especially
teenagers, social media has become an addiction that makes users go a day
without opening social media. Nowadays, every teenager already has their own
social media. On social media, teenagers often post personal activities, vents,
and photos with friends. On social media, everyone can freely comment and
easily channel their opinions without any worries (Listyani
& Fauzi, 2017).
One of the negative impacts of the use of social media
is free sex. Most adolescents engage in premarital-time sexual behaviour for
the first time at the age of high school or, equivalent, at the age of 15-18
years. Negative impacts carried out after premarital sexual behaviour include
Unwanted Pregnancy (KTD) and abortion. As a fact that occurs in society, many
minors are victims of crimes that originate from the use of social media.
Almost every day, news about cases of immorality, sexual violence and pornography
is reported. These cases certainly cannot be left alone. It is a big job for
the entire community through education in the family to take preventive
measures because when left unchecked, it will have an impact on mental and
psychological damage in adolescents.
This sexual behaviour, of course, has adverse effects
such as getting pregnant out of wedlock, contracting sexually transmitted
diseases, and there will be a sense of regret. Therefore, as a teenager, you
must be able to use social media well and wisely and have a sense of High
curiosity, which is normal for a teenager. However, you also have to know the
consequences of your actions. From now on, we use social media wisely (Jones
et al., 2014).
The World Health Organization (WHO) shows that more
than 500 million adolescents aged 10-14 in developing countries have had sex
for the first time under the age of 15. Approximately 60% of pregnancies in
adolescent girls in developing countries are unwanted pregnancies, and 15
million adolescent girls have given birth. An international survey conducted by
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceutical of 6,000 adolescents in 26 countries revealed
that there was an increase in the number of adolescents who engaged in unsafe
sex, such as in France, reaching 11%, 39% in the United States and 19% in the
United Kingdom in 2011 (Wijayanti
& Fairus, 2020). In addition, according to the
National Center on Sexual Exploitation, The prevalence of pornography use among
generations is 90% in men and 80% in women, with results varying depending on
culture, age and social environment (Capurso
et al., 2020).
The data shows that the desire to satisfy their sexual
desires is by looking for information media needs. There is a strong flow of
information through social media, so information that is difficult to control
tends to form unhealthy sexual behaviour in adolescents. Many providers offer
easy and cheap access services, which makes it easy to do so. Social media is a
trend for teenagers today; in addition to bringing positive benefits, it also negatively
impacts teenagers. The positive benefits for adolescents are staying in touch
and exchanging information, while the negative impact of social media is
abusing the information system to convey sexual needs (Landry
et al., 2017).
Internet access to pornography can be one of the
sources of premaritalized sexual behaviour. Teenagers are the most vulnerable
to the risks and dangers of social media because teenagers, in general, have a
high sense of curiosity. Usually, adolescents who have a long duration of using
social media have more significant potential to engage in sexual behaviour. In
addition to social media, abaya friends can also be one of the factors where
sexual behaviour occurs. Therefore, parents must be able to monitor their
children's friendships so that they are not swept into free association.
It is necessary to realize that using the Internet
among teenagers is considered one of the primary needs. The Internet is used by
teenagers to access various information due to high curiosity in adolescence.
It is undeniable that high curiosity in adolescents about sexual issues makes
them seek information using mass media, the Internet, and social media. The
advancement of information in the era of globalization has caused the use of
the Internet to be increasingly necessary in all aspects of life and even daily
life, such as social and educational activities. The use of the Internet,
especially social media, results in adolescents aged 10-24 years experiencing
dependence on social media so that almost every day, adolescents have to access
various types of social media (Crofts
et al., 2024).
Adolescents are at significant risk of developing
reproductive health problems such as premarital sex, getting pregnant at too
young age or unwanted pregnancies that trigger unsafe abortions, sexually
transmitted diseases, acts of sexual violence, and rape. Problems that exist
among adolescents can be handled with preventive efforts. Health promotion or
socialization can be used to increase adolescents' knowledge and understanding
of premarital sex and reproductive health through health counselling. With the
socialization of reproductive health and premarital sex, it is hoped that these
problems can be prevented and overcome (Listyani
& Fauzi, 2017).
Based on the
above background, it is clear that social media plays a significant role in
shaping adolescent behavior, especially in relation to premarital sexual
behavior. Increased exposure to sexual content, easy access to pornography, and
peer influence contribute to this alarming trend. Therefore, the purpose of
this study is to analyze the influence of social media on adolescent sexual
behavior. Thus, the benefit of this study is to provide a deeper understanding
to society, especially parents, educators, and adolescents themselves,
regarding the significant influence of social media on adolescent sexual
behavior. This research is expected to be the basis for formulating preventive
and educative policies in using social media more wisely. In addition, the
results of this study can contribute to public health and education programs
related to awareness of the negative impact of unhealthy social media content.
RESEARCH METHODS
This article method uses library research, which
collects data by understanding and studying theories from various literature
related to research. There are four stages of literature study: preparing the
necessary equipment and tools, preparing a work bibliography, organizing time
and reading and recording research materials. Data collection is by searching
for sources and constructing from various sources such as books, journals, and
existing research. The analysis method uses content analysis and descriptive
analysis. The library materials from various references are critically and
in-depth analyzed to support propositions and ideas. The articles used in this
writing were obtained from PubMed, Emerald Insight, Google Scholar, DOAJ and
Perplexetily.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
After
reviewing, teven scientific articles related to social media and promiscuous
sexual behavior in adolescents. were found. All seven articlesare international
articles ipublished n Uthe nited Kingdom. The review of scientific articles
will be outlined in tTable1.
Table 1. Review of Scientific Articles on the
Influence
of Social Media on Free Sex
Behavior in Adolescents
|
Name |
Title |
Published |
Result |
|
(Landry et al., 2017) |
Social Media and Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents:
Is there a link? |
JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, Vol 3,
Issue 2. |
Sexual risk behaviours significantly increased
between baseline (T1) and follow-up (T2) (mean=0.432 vs mean=0.734,
P<.001). Youths sending more than 100 text messages per day had
significantly higher sexual risk scores (beta=1.008, PP |
|
(Suyanto, 2021) |
Effects of social media exposure on adolescent
sexual attitudes and behaviour: A systematic review |
International Journal of Public Health Science
(IJPHS), Vol.
10, No. 2, |
These sexual contents can either have a
positive or negative effect on these adolescents by either improving the
knowledge they have on the sexuality of the opposite sex or leading them to
risky or harmful sexual behaviours, respectively. |
|
(Fauzi & Listyani, 2017) |
Impacts of Social Media on Youth's Sexual and
Social Behaviours |
Advances in Social Science, Education and
Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 108 |
This study showed a potential association
between frequent social media use and increased likelihood of sexual activity
among youth. |
|
(Eleuteri et al., 2017) |
Identity, relationships, sexuality, and risky behaviours
of adolescents in the context of social media |
Sexual and Relationship Therapy |
social media and social networking services
affecting and changing not only adolescent sexuality, but also the type of
relationship adolescents establish in their first sexual experiences,
including possible risky consequences like cyberbullying, sexting, revenge
pornography, excessive use of the Internet, and risky sexual behaviours.
Specifically, research will be discussed on the development and evolution of
sexuality of adolescents and young adults, also illustrating the clinical
consequences. |
|
(Onasoga et al., 2020) |
Influence of Social Media Use on Sexual
Behaviour of Undergraduate Students in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria |
Interdisciplinary Journal of Education, Vol.
3, No. 2 |
The findings of the study showed that there is
a significant association between exposure to sexual content on social media
and risky sexual behaviour among undergraduate students. |
|
(Astri et al., 2024) |
The relationship between social media use and
adolescent sexual behaviour. |
Indonesian Journal of Global Health Research,
Vol 6, Number 3. |
The results of this study show that the female
gender dominates the proportion of respondents who have high levels of sexual
behaviour. The results of using social media sites show a significant p-value
= 0.044 with a risk of adolescent sexual behaviour of 0.138 times as a result
of exposure to the use of social media sites. There are significant results
on the use of social media and adolescent sexual behaviour with a p-value =
0.044, so it can be concluded that there is a relationship between social
media use and adolescent sexual behaviour. |
|
(Wijayanti & Fairus, 2020) |
Religiosity, the Role of Teen Parents and the Exposure
of pornography media to adolescent sexual behaviour inEast Lampung Region
High School |
Enferm Clin; 30(S5) |
The results showed there was a relationship
between religiosity, the role of parents, and exposure to pornography with
premarital sexual behaviour in adolescents in East Lampung. |
Based on the results of the analysis that has
been carried out on seven international articles, it was found that adolescents
have very high exposure to social media with adolescent sexual behaviour and
unhealthy use of social media such as viewing pornographic content; adolescents
will imitate and do what they see. The more experiences of hearing, seeing, and
experiencing sexual behaviour, the stronger the stimulus that can encourage the
emergence of sexual behaviour.
Many factors
can affect sexual behaviour in adolescents, one of which is a source of
information in the form of social media. Desire/interest in the media, the use
of social media and the intensity of social media use can also have an impact
on the sexual behaviour of adolescents. Sexual behaviour is any form of
behaviour that is driven by sexual desire, both with the opposite sex and with
the same sex (Chernick et al.,
2022).
Abraham
explained that the concept of sexuality includes not only sexual identity,
sexual orientation, sexual norms, sexual practices, and sexual habits but also
human feelings, desires, fantasies, and experiences related to sexual
awareness, stimulation, and sexual acts, including heterosexual relationships
and homosexual relationships. This includes subjective experience as well as
the meaning inherent in it. The concept of sexuality encompasses not only
biological and psychological but also the social and cultural dimensions of
sexual identity and habits (Todaro et al.,
2018).
Usually,
teenagers aged 15-19 years already have a desire to have a boyfriend. Social
media can also be a means for teenagers who want to find a girlfriend. Many
teenagers invite people of the opposite sex to get acquainted through social
media. However, again, it still requires supervision and direction by parents
so that sexual behaviour that is detrimental to oneself and others does not
occur (Merrill &
Liang, 2019). This sexual behaviour does not only include
sexual intercourse, but holding hands, kissing and having sexual intercourse is
also included in sexual behaviour. This sexual behaviour includes five stages,
namely touching, kissing, necking, petting and intercourse. Sexual behaviour
carried out before marriage can be referred to as premarital sexual behaviour,
where it is done to attract attention from the opposite sex (Jones et al.,
2014).
The desire
to satisfy his sexual desires by seeking information media needs. There is a
strong flow of information through social media, so information that is
difficult to control tends to form unhealthy sexual behaviour in adolescents.
Many providers offer easy and cheap access services that make it easier for
school-age children to access social media. Two things underlie sexual behaviour
in adolescents, namely the expectation to get married at a young age (20 years
old) and the passage of information that can cause sexual stimulation in
adolescents, especially adolescents in urban areas. These stimuli encourage
teenagers to have premarital sex. Factors that affect sexual behaviour in
adolescents are puberty, age, gender, level of knowledge about reproductive
health, parental supervision and attitudes towards various sexual behaviours (Listyani &
Fauzi, 2017).
In this
case, if it is associated with social media literacy, it is necessary to
control individual behaviour in using social media; it can be in the form of
understanding and sensitivity and even a critical attitude in receiving and
sending messages on social media. Adolescents must be able to filter various
information about social relationships or changes to the equilibrium of social
relationships through social media. Thus, messages that link reproductive
health problems with social determinants related to premarital sexual behaviour
can be packaged more attractive to adolescents. For example, from a public
health perspective, premarital sexual risks and adolescent health are framed as
social impacts (Ssewanyana et
al., 2018).
The
percentage of adolescents in men (66.6%) and women (62.3%) watch pornography
through online media. As for those who are sexually involved or directly
practice sexuality in boys (34.5%) and girls (25%), so that the achievement of
the number of people who watch pornography in boys is more than in girls, and
the sexual activities that are practised directly by boys are more than girls (Kosvianti et
al., 2020). The effects of pornographic media start from
the stages of addiction, escalation, desensitization, and act-out (imitation of
behaviour). The level of sexual behavioural activity depends on the magnitude
of the action taken, where the impact of the behaviour sex can transmit health
disorders such as HIV infection, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted
pregnancies, abortions and other health problems (Landry et al.,
2017).
The
activities of adolescents in their needs, such as searching for information for
their use, are increasingly diverse with the existence of media, which continues
to develop following its development. Information media, such as television,
radio, gadgets, the Internet, and print media (books, magazines, newspapers)
are available today. The availability of these media helps adolescents with
their needs. These needs encourage adolescents to choose and meet their needs
according to current developments (Stevens et al.,
2017).
CONCLUSION
The main issue formulated in this study is the dual
impact of social media use on adolescents, where both positive and negative
impacts are evident. While social media can enhance skills, creativity, and
facilitate learning, its negative consequences, such as reduced social
sensitivity, academic laziness, and engagement in harmful behaviors-such as
smoking, reckless behavior, and risky sexual activities-require urgent
attention. The purpose of this study is to critically analyze the influence of
social media on adolescent behavior, especially focusing on the potential risks
of imitating negative content and engaging in premarital sexual behavior, in
order to propose prevention strategies and raise awareness among parents and
educators. It can be concluded that the use of social media has both positive
and negative impacts. The positive impact is that for them, the use of social
media can develop skills and creativity and can help adolescents to learn
because through media sharing and other means. While the negative impacts are
no less important to be of concern to parents, among the negative impacts
experienced by adolescents are the loss of social sensitivity in children, lazy
learning, the emergence of negative behavior due to imitating what they watch
on social media (youtube, google, facebook, instagram, twitter and others) for
example; smoking, motorcycle racing and even doing things that should not be
done by teenagers such as having free sex without taking into account the
impact.
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Copyright holders:
Marilia Juvi Gonçalves (2024)
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