Mantz, Erika

English

UNH Scholars' Repository

University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryMedia Relations Administrative Offices8-9-2006Youth Online Exposed To More Porn But FewerSexual Solicitations, According To New StudyErika MantzFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationMantz, Erika, "Youth Online Exposed To More Porn But Fewer Sexual Solicitations, According To New Study" (2006). UNH Today.1240.https://scholars.unh.edu/news/12409/21/2017 Youth Online Exposed to More Porn but Fewer Sexual Solicitations, according to New Studyhttp://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2006/august/em_060809porn.cfm@type=n.html 1/2UNH Media Relations Youth Online Exposed To More Porn But Fewer SexualSolicitations, According To New StudyContact:  Erika Mantz (603) 862-1567 UNH Media RelationsAugust 9, 2006DURHAM, N.H. -- A new national survey of online youth has both bad news and good news forthose concerned about Internet safety. The bad news: increasing exposure to unwantedpornography and online harassment and cyber-bullying. The good news: less sexualsolicitation.These results are reported in a study conducted by University of New Hampshire researchersfor the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). The survey compared youthexperiences in 1999-2000 with those in 2005.The study found a pronounced increase in Internet users ages 10-17 who were exposed tounwanted pornography – fully one-third in 2005 compared to 25% previously. The studyattributed this rise in part to aggressive tactics by pornography marketers, and the increasedspeed and capacity of computers and Internet connections to transmit images.There was also an increase in online harassment, which rose to 9% compared to 6% in theearlier survey. Study authors said it was consistent with growing indicators of online incivilityamong youth.At the same time, however, the study found online youth receiving fewer unwanted onlinesexual solicitations, only 1 in 7 in 2005 compared to 1 in 5 youth in 1999-2000. The reportattributes this to more cautious behavior by young people, fewer of whom went to chat roomsor interacted online with people they did not know. The study authors think educationalmessages and media stories about the dangers of online encounters have had some benefit.Unfortunately, the most serious kinds of sexual solicitations, those in which solicitorsattempted to make offline contact with youth, did not decline. According to study authors, thissuggests the most determined solicitors have not been deterred and that more targetedprevention efforts may be necessary to reach some youth.Much of the unwanted pornography youth saw was very graphic. Most youth saw images ofpeople engaged in sexual acts or sexual deviance or violence. “Internet providers and hostsites need to do more to protect youth from unwanted pornography. They need better filteringand blocking and more and easier ways for youth to report problems,” said Janis Wolak, oneof the authors of the study.The study also said more should be done to promote the reporting of offensive behavior andcontent. Unwanted sexual solicitations, pornography and harassment were rarely reported toInternet service providers or any authority. Youth and their parents were generally unaware ofplaces they could make reports, such as the CyberTipline, which is maintained by NCMEC toreceive online and telephone reports from citizens and Internet service providers.Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later is available from the National Center onMissing and Exploited Children online at www.missingkids.com or 1-800-843-5678. Theauthors of the report are Janis Wolak, J.D., Kimberly Mitchell, Ph.D. and David Finkelhor, Ph.D.9/21/2017 Youth Online Exposed to More Porn but Fewer Sexual Solicitations, according to New Studyhttp://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2006/august/em_060809porn.cfm@type=n.html 2/2of the Crimes against Children Research Center (CCRC) at the University of New Hampshire.The CCRC is devoted to providing statistics, research and policy analysis to the public andprofessionals concerned about victimized children. It has conducted a number of studies ofyouth Internet use and Internet sex crimes. Publications on these and other topics areavailable at the CCRC website at www.unh.edu/ccrc.The report was based on surveys of two representative samples of youth and their caretakers,the first conducted between August 1999 and February 2002, the second between March andJune 2005. The percentages reported have a margin of error of 2.5%.

Youth Online Exposed To More Porn But Fewer Sexual Solicitations, According To New Study

University of New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository
Media Relations Administrative Offices
8-9-2006
Youth Online Exposed To More Porn But Fewer
Sexual Solicitations, According To New Study
Erika Mantz
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/news
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has
been accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more
information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.
Recommended Citation
Mantz, Erika, "Youth Online Exposed To More Porn But Fewer Sexual Solicitations, According To New Study" (2006). UNH Today.
1240.
https://scholars.unh.edu/news/1240
9/21/2017 Youth Online Exposed to More Porn but Fewer Sexual Solicitations, according to New Study
http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2006/august/em_060809porn.cfm@type=n.html 1/2
UNH Media Relations 
Youth Online Exposed To More Porn But Fewer Sexual
Solicitations, According To New Study
Contact:  Erika Mantz 
(603) 862-1567
 UNH Media Relations
August 9, 2006
DURHAM, N.H. -- A new national survey of online youth has both bad news and good news for
those concerned about Internet safety. The bad news: increasing exposure to unwanted
pornography and online harassment and cyber-bullying. The good news: less sexual
solicitation.
These results are reported in a study conducted by University of New Hampshire researchers
for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). The survey compared youth
experiences in 1999-2000 with those in 2005.
The study found a pronounced increase in Internet users ages 10-17 who were exposed to
unwanted pornography – fully one-third in 2005 compared to 25% previously. The study
attributed this rise in part to aggressive tactics by pornography marketers, and the increased
speed and capacity of computers and Internet connections to transmit images.
There was also an increase in online harassment, which rose to 9% compared to 6% in the
earlier survey. Study authors said it was consistent with growing indicators of online incivility
among youth.
At the same time, however, the study found online youth receiving fewer unwanted online
sexual solicitations, only 1 in 7 in 2005 compared to 1 in 5 youth in 1999-2000. The report
attributes this to more cautious behavior by young people, fewer of whom went to chat rooms
or interacted online with people they did not know. The study authors think educational
messages and media stories about the dangers of online encounters have had some benefit.
Unfortunately, the most serious kinds of sexual solicitations, those in which solicitors
attempted to make offline contact with youth, did not decline. According to study authors, this
suggests the most determined solicitors have not been deterred and that more targeted
prevention efforts may be necessary to reach some youth.
Much of the unwanted pornography youth saw was very graphic. Most youth saw images of
people engaged in sexual acts or sexual deviance or violence. “Internet providers and host
sites need to do more to protect youth from unwanted pornography. They need better filtering
and blocking and more and easier ways for youth to report problems,” said Janis Wolak, one
of the authors of the study.
The study also said more should be done to promote the reporting of offensive behavior and
content. Unwanted sexual solicitations, pornography and harassment were rarely reported to
Internet service providers or any authority. Youth and their parents were generally unaware of
places they could make reports, such as the CyberTipline, which is maintained by NCMEC to
receive online and telephone reports from citizens and Internet service providers.
Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later is available from the National Center on
Missing and Exploited Children online at www.missingkids.com or 1-800-843-5678. The
authors of the report are Janis Wolak, J.D., Kimberly Mitchell, Ph.D. and David Finkelhor, Ph.D.
9/21/2017 Youth Online Exposed to More Porn but Fewer Sexual Solicitations, according to New Study
http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2006/august/em_060809porn.cfm@type=n.html 2/2
of the Crimes against Children Research Center (CCRC) at the University of New Hampshire.
The CCRC is devoted to providing statistics, research and policy analysis to the public and
professionals concerned about victimized children. It has conducted a number of studies of
youth Internet use and Internet sex crimes. Publications on these and other topics are
available at the CCRC website at www.unh.edu/ccrc.
The report was based on surveys of two representative samples of youth and their caretakers,
the first conducted between August 1999 and February 2002, the second between March and
June 2005. The percentages reported have a margin of error of 2.5%.


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Youth Online Exposed To More Porn But Fewer Sexual Solicitations, According To New Study

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