Sexual Harassment on Sexual Harassment on MySpaceMySpace

Are Predators Lurking Around Are Predators Lurking Around Every (Virtual) Corner?Every (Virtual) Corner?

Nancy Cheever, M.A.Nancy Cheever, M.A.Assistant Professor, CommunicationsAssistant Professor, Communications

California State University, Dominguez HillsCalifornia State University, Dominguez Hills

Doctoral Student, Fielding Graduate UniversityDoctoral Student, Fielding Graduate University

and and

Larry Rosen, Ph.D.Larry Rosen, Ph.D.Professor, Psychology Professor, Psychology

California State University, Dominguez HillsCalifornia State University, Dominguez Hills

IntroductionIntroduction

Media portray sexual predators Media portray sexual predators as rampant on the Internetas rampant on the Internet

Dateline, NBCDateline, NBC: ”To Catch a Predator” : ”To Catch a Predator”

sexual predators are lured by decoy via chat sexual predators are lured by decoy via chat rooms rooms and subsequently questioned and subsequently questioned about the activity on national television and about the activity on national television and then arrested by policethen arrested by police

IntroductionIntroduction

““Social Networking MakesSocial Networking MakesProtecting Kids Tougher for Cops”Protecting Kids Tougher for Cops”

• Foxnews.com, June 23, 2006Foxnews.com, June 23, 2006

““Sexual predators prowl Internet for Sexual predators prowl Internet for prey”prey”Tribune-Review News ServiceTribune-Review News Service

““Congress, MySpace Team Up to Congress, MySpace Team Up to Fight Sexual Predators”Fight Sexual Predators”

• ABC News, April 21, 2007ABC News, April 21, 2007

Literature ReviewLiterature Review

Mitchell, Wolak and Finkelhor (2007) Mitchell, Wolak and Finkelhor (2007)

• declinedecline in unwanted sexual solicitations in unwanted sexual solicitations between 2000 and 2005between 2000 and 2005

• increaseincrease in online harassment & unwanted in online harassment & unwanted exposure to pornography among 10- to 17-exposure to pornography among 10- to 17-year-olds between 2000 and 2005year-olds between 2000 and 2005

• ““Youth continue to encounter substantial Youth continue to encounter substantial numbers of offensive episodes online” (p. 124) numbers of offensive episodes online” (p. 124)

Literature ReviewLiterature Review

Pierce (2007) Pierce (2007)

• Sampled 700 MySpace Sampled 700 MySpace pagespages 59% portrayed risqué or sexual poses 59% portrayed risqué or sexual poses 17%/28% depicting nudity (male/female)17%/28% depicting nudity (male/female)

• Over half the sites used profanityOver half the sites used profanity

• One-third used sexual profanityOne-third used sexual profanity

• Sexual images most often on the pages of Sexual images most often on the pages of 14- to 15-year-olds14- to 15-year-olds

MethodMethod Studies 2 & 3Studies 2 & 3

• Asked about perceptions of sexual predators Asked about perceptions of sexual predators on MySpaceon MySpace

• Asked about perceptions of media coverage Asked about perceptions of media coverage of sexual predators on Internetof sexual predators on Internet

• Parents and teen pairsParents and teen pairs Study 2: N=267 Study 2: N=267 Study 3: N=342Study 3: N=342

ResultsResultsParents and teens “somewhat” or “very” Parents and teens “somewhat” or “very”

concerned about potential problems, Study 2concerned about potential problems, Study 2__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Potential Internet Problem Parents Potential Internet Problem Parents Teens Teens

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sexual predatorsSexual predators 83%83% 35%35%

Social isolationSocial isolation 75%75% 15%15%

Addiction to MySpaceAddiction to MySpace 72%72% 21%21%

Addiction to the InternetAddiction to the Internet 73%73% 17%17%

Others posting personal infoOthers posting personal info 82%82% 29%29%

Others posting sexual picturesOthers posting sexual pictures 88%88% 29%29%

Others viewing sexual picturesOthers viewing sexual pictures 88%88% 38%38%

Opinions about prevalence of online sexual Opinions about prevalence of online sexual

predators comparing Studies 2 & 3predators comparing Studies 2 & 3__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sexual Predators Parents Teens Sexual Predators Parents Teens

Study 2 Study 3 Study 2 Study 3Study 2 Study 3 Study 2 Study 3__________________________________________________________________________________________________

PrevalencePrevalence

Very rareVery rare 6% 3% 6% 3% 19% 11% 19% 11%

Some, Some, 31% 17% 31% 17% 46% 30% 46% 30%

but not too manybut not too many

Quite a fewQuite a few 63% 80% 63% 80% 36% 59% 36% 59%

Opinions about media coverage of online sexual Opinions about media coverage of online sexual predators comparing Studies 2 & 3predators comparing Studies 2 & 3__________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sexual Predators Parents Teens Sexual Predators Parents Teens Study 2 Study 3 Study 2 Study 3Study 2 Study 3 Study 2 Study 3__________________________________________________________________________________________________Media CoverageMedia Coverage

UnderestimateUnderestimate 22%22% 26%26% 12% 12% 11%11%

Pretty close to truthPretty close to truth 43%43% 47%47% 29% 39% 29% 39%

A bit overblownA bit overblown 22%22% 18%18% 30% 29% 30% 29%

Quite a bit overblownQuite a bit overblown8%8% 6%6% 13% 11% 13% 11%

Blown out of proportionBlown out of proportion 4%4% 4%4% 16% 10% 16% 10%

Percentages of reported negative images Percentages of reported negative images on teen MySpace pageson teen MySpace pages

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%0-25%

25-50%

50-75%

75%-100%

Online problems, reactions and feelings, Study 3Online problems, reactions and feelings, Study 3__________________________________________________________________________________________________ MySpace Problems MySpace Problems Study 3Study 3__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sexual solicitationSexual solicitation 15%15%

ReactionsReactions

Reacted AppropriatelyReacted Appropriately 58%58%

IgnoredIgnored 32%32%

FeelingFeeling

Very/Extremely upsetVery/Extremely upset 16%16%

Somewhat upsetSomewhat upset 33%33%

Not upset at allNot upset at all 51%51%

Online problems, reactions and feelings, Study 3Online problems, reactions and feelings, Study 3______________________________________________________________________________________________________ MySpace Problems MySpace Problems Study 3Study 3______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Unwanted exposure to sexual materialsUnwanted exposure to sexual materials 14%14%

ReactionsReactions

Reacted AppropriatelyReacted Appropriately 53%53%

IgnoredIgnored 37%37%

FeelingsFeelings

Very/Extremely upsetVery/Extremely upset 19%19%

Somewhat upsetSomewhat upset 40%40%

Not upset at allNot upset at all 42%42%

Who gets approached?Who gets approached? Females more than malesFemales more than males

On MySpace for more than a year vs. less than a On MySpace for more than a year vs. less than a yearyear

Spending more time on MySpaceSpending more time on MySpace

More MySpace friendsMore MySpace friends

Feeling there are quite a few sexual predators on Feeling there are quite a few sexual predators on MySpace vs. feeling sexual predators are rare MySpace vs. feeling sexual predators are rare

DiscussionDiscussion

Study 2Study 2• only 8% of the teens had an only 8% of the teens had an

uncomfortable experience of a sexual uncomfortable experience of a sexual nature, mostly from what they termed nature, mostly from what they termed “perverts” “perverts”

Study 3Study 3• 15% of teens reported approached by 15% of teens reported approached by

sexual solicitorsexual solicitor• in agreement with the 13% solicitation in agreement with the 13% solicitation

rate reported by Wolak, et al. (2006)rate reported by Wolak, et al. (2006)

DiscussionDiscussion One in seven MySpace teens receive some sexual One in seven MySpace teens receive some sexual

solicitation solicitation

• Nearly all reacted appropriately:Nearly all reacted appropriately:

rebuffed the personrebuffed the person blocked him from their MySpace pageblocked him from their MySpace page reported the incident to an adultreported the incident to an adult ignored the solicitationignored the solicitation

• Half were not upset by the experienceHalf were not upset by the experience

Media reported sexual predation is an overblown, Media reported sexual predation is an overblown, fictionalized account of MySpacefictionalized account of MySpace

DiscussionDiscussion

Parents and teens differ on areas of Parents and teens differ on areas of

concernconcern

• Parents more concerned about potential Parents more concerned about potential

MySpace hazardsMySpace hazards

Differing perception of prevalence of sexual Differing perception of prevalence of sexual

predators and the accuracy of media predators and the accuracy of media

coverage of these predatorscoverage of these predators

ConclusionConclusion

View of MySpace different than what is portrayed in the media

Unwanted sexual solicitation may not be as rampant on MySpace as the media proliferate

It is not a place where unknown people ask for sex

Episodes happen, but it is a momentary event that is quickly dismissed

ConclusionConclusion

MySpace may make adolescent MySpace may make adolescent transitions easiertransitions easier

OROR

May provide additional struggles as May provide additional struggles as teens search for their identityteens search for their identity

RecommendationsRecommendations

Parents should become more aware of Parents should become more aware of

what their teens are doing on MySpacewhat their teens are doing on MySpace

Parents and media should stop focusing on Parents and media should stop focusing on

sexual predators and start assessing the sexual predators and start assessing the

MySpace actions of teensMySpace actions of teens