#pornfication

My fascination with the way human potray themselves on the Internet is beyond words. And in week 7, I would like to focus on the concept of "Pornfication" of social media. Firstly, let's look into its key concepts.

The relation of porn and media

Pornography, sometimes known as porn-chic, has entered digital media in a variety of fields, including popular music, higher education, clothes and fashion, beauty practices, high art, sports, and technology (Tyler and Quek 2016). Whether it's tongue-in-cheek or full-on smoke performances, this component has become legendary in pop culture.

The "pornification" of social media is a complex and diverse problem that has received a lot of attention in recent years. It refers to the growing prevalence of sexually explicit content, as well as its normalisation and mainstreaming across numerous social media platforms. This phenomena has sparked worries about the possible influence on users, particularly young people, as well as the social media culture as a whole.

Several things contribute to the pornographic nature of social media. One significant cause is the ease with which users may share and obtain explicit content, resulting in a profusion of such material. With so many models promoting in provocative stances that highlight their curves, the Instagram-standard model has become the norm. Furthermore, social media algorithms may prioritise interesting content, thereby promoting sexually explicit posts. This can lead to a vicious cycle, as more users interact with and distribute such information. It has long been known that pushing sex so recklessly in mainstream media and, more individually, on social media has many dark consequences, but as has been demonstrated, this technique is effective, so no one wants to put the brakes on.

Youth and sexualisation

It causes users to become desensitised, which may have an impact on their attitudes towards sexuality and relationships. This desensitisation can lead to unreasonable expectations and objectification of persons, which can be harmful to their mental health and self-esteem (Maheux et al. 2021). Furthermore, simple access to pornographic information may foster harmful habits and addiction, harming personal relationships and overall well-being.

Young and impressionable viewers believe they should express themselves in the same way and perceive romantic relationships to be overly sexualized, resulting in many unhealthy relationship expectations and disdain for limits. This could become much more hazardous if children trapped in this pipeline become prime targets for paedophiles looking to exploit their innocence.

In conclusion, pornification on social media is a pressing issue that must be addressed collaboratively by social media platforms, regulators, and users. We may seek to reduce the detrimental impact of social media pornification on people and society as a whole by enforcing tougher restrictions, encouraging responsible interaction, and cultivating healthy views towards sexuality and relationships.

REFERENCE LIST

Maheux, AJ, Roberts, SR, Evans, R, Widman, L & Choukas-Bradley, S 2021, ‘Associations between adolescents’ pornography consumption and self-objectification, body comparison, and body shame’, Body Image, vol. 37, pp. 89–93.