Cybersex

The interface and interplay between sex and digital technologies is the subject of this chapter on cybersex. It raises a number of questions about the virtuality or reality of such sexual encounters as it charts the development and forms of cybersex, from its historical origins to current experimentation and future possibilities and from chat-based cybersex to teledildonics and cybersex machines. It investigates the allure of cybersex: that it promises a technologically enhanced and telematic body to sexually,  but safely, experiment with in an environment where you can be anyone and anything you want.

Involvement in online sexual activities (OSAs) is ubiquitous, especially in males, and can under certain circumstances become problematic. The risk factors associated with problematic OSAs remain, however, poorly explored. The current study aimed to investigate the characteristics, usage patterns, and motives for men to engage in OSAs and to disentangle the risk factors associated with problematic OSAs. To this end, 434 men completed an online survey measuring socio-demographic information, OSAs consumption habits, motives for engaging in OSAs, symptoms of problematic OSAs, and sexual dysfunctions. Results showed that watching pornography is the most prevalent OSA, and sexual gratification is the most frequent motive for OSAs involvement. Additional multiple regression analyses indicated that the following characteristics are associated with problematic use of OSAs: (a) partnered-arousal activities (e.g., sex chat) and solitary-arousal activities (e.g., pornography); (b) anonymous fantasizing and mood regulation motives; and (c) higher sexual desire, lower overall sexual satisfaction, and lower erectile function. This study sheds new light on the characteristics, motives, and sexual function of men involved in OSAs, emphasizing that problematic OSAs are heterogeneous and depend on interrelated factors. The findings support tailoring of preventive actions and clinical interventions to both OSA type and individual risk factors.

Considerable scholarly discussion has been given to the idea that we are moving toward a state of “posthumanism.” This essay examines some possible implications of a posthuman existence, specifically as it relates to that most basic of human needs—sexuality. I explore the spiritual aspects of sexuality to see what is lost and what is gained in technologically mediated forms of sexuality. To that end, I consider the interplay between sexual behavior and our conceptions of the sacred, how technologies are changing our views of—and realities concerning—our bodies, and the potential for a sacred posthuman sexuality.

The goal of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of a French version of the short Internet Addiction Test adapted to online sexual activities (s-IAT-sex). The French version of the s-IAT-sex was administered to a sample of 401 men. The participants also completed a questionnaire that screened for sexual addiction (PATHOS). The relationships of s-IAT-sex scores with time spent online for online sexual activities (OSAs) and the types of OSAs favored were also considered. Confirmatory analyses supported a two-factor model of s-IAT-sex, corresponding to the factorial structure found in earlier studies that used the short IAT. The first factor regroups loss of control and time management, whereas the second factor regroups craving and social problems. Internal consistency for each factor was evaluated with Cronbach’s a coefficient, resulting in .87 for Factor 1, .76 for Factor 2, and .88 for the global scale. Concurrent validity was supported by relationships with symptoms of sexual addiction, types of OSAs practiced, and time spent online for OSAs. The prevalence of sexual addiction (measured by PATHOS) was 28.1% in the current sample of self-selected male OSA users. The French version of the s-IAT-sex presents good psychometric properties and constitutes a useful tool for researchers and practitioners.

Internet has become a part of our lives. Two-thirds of adult men and one third of females use internet in India. In that, 12% of websites are pornographic, 30% of net traffic is sex-related, 35% of downloads are of pornographic material. In India, 72% of adult males and 28% of adult women viewed pornography. One-third of people accessed the net for porn while in office or in school/college. In a study done on college students in a small town in South India, 84.2% view porn on a daily basis, one-half felt that they use porn more than they intended to see and were awake late at night; two-thirds felt that their academic grades dropped. On a multicity sex survey in South India on college students-69% watch, sex videos 6 hours a week; 24% of girls feel porn is harmless; 30% of students had sex relations with lovers, and 12% of girls became pregnant. In an objective assessment of porn consumption in medical students in Central India, 14 % of boys and 8% of girls were found to have the potential to become internet sex addicts. Cybersex addiction is six times more in men than in women. In the self-claimed hypersexual people, porn consumption was 6 times higher, total sexual outlets per week was three times higher, total sexual partners was double when compared with non-hypersexual people.

• A systematic review examined conceptualization, assessment, and treatment of cybersex is realized. • There is no consensus in the literature regarding the conceptualization and labeling of problematic cybersex. • Only a few validated questionnaires are available to measure problematic cybersex. • Evidence regarding treatment options and efficacy is lacking. a b s t r a c t Problematic involvement in cybersex is generally considered to be an excessive and uncontrolled use of online sexual activities associated with tangible negative outcomes and functional impairment. To date, there is no consensus in the literature regarding the conceptualization and labeling of this disorder, or of its diagnosis and assessment (e.g., screening questionnaires and diagnostic criteria). Through a systematic examination of the literature, we emphasize that problematic cybersex is an umbrella construct that regroups various types of distinct dysfunctional online behaviors. Despite a considerable increase in studies on problematic cybersex, no clear diagnostic guidelines exist for clinicians and researchers. Moreover, the factors involved in the development and maintenance of the disorder remain poorly examined, and the evidence regarding valid assessment and treatment are lacking.

The pervasive nature of technology has forced couples
and families to rethink the role technology plays in their
lives. Several notable areas emerging as challenging areas in
couples’ lives include Internet infidelity, Internet pornography
usage, and cybersex addiction. The increased prevalence of
technology-related issues in therapy has challenged clinicians
with the task of understanding the distinct differences and
commonalities among each Internet-related issue. Two common
Internet sexuality issues reported by clinicians are cybersex
and Internet infidelity. The purpose of this article is to
provide brief descriptions of the most common Internet sexuality
issues, provide an overview of common assessment
procedures, and outline the most recent development in treatment
of these problems.

What, if anything, is different about this contemporary moment with respect to the obstinacy of the incest taboo? Here, I examine the nature, meaning, affect and resonances of representations of “accidental incest” and “technology facilitated accidental incest” in popular culture, pornography, and PSAs. Drawing on affect theory, posthumanist theories of embodiment and sexuality, and Eve Sedgwick’s notion of a “reparative’ reading”, I consider how digital and reproductive technologies and their cultural representations potentially extend categories of sex, sexuality, and kinship relations and provide new affective opportunities for users and viewers to rethink our sexual relations and our contemporary sexual lawscapes.

Аннотация: В статье представлены способы конструирования сексуальной идентичности субъекта и объекта взаимодействия в секстинге. Материалом исследования послужили корпусы русскоязычных и англоязычных секстов в суммарном количестве 500 текстов.
Ключевые слова: сексуальная коммуникация, порнография, виртуальный секс, сексуальная идентичность, секстинг.

Background and aims: Research has shown that personality traits play an important role in problematic internet use (PIU). However, the relationship between dark personality traits (i.e., Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism, sadism, and spitefulness) and PIU has yet to be investigated. Consequently, the objectives of this study were to investigate the relationships of dark traits with specific online activities (i.e., social media, gaming, gambling, shopping, and sex) and PIU. Methods: A total of 772 university students completed a self-report survey, including the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen Scale, Short Sadistic Impulse Scale, Spitefulness Scale, and an adapted version of the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale. Results: Hierarchical regression analysis and a multiple mediation model indicated that being male was positively associated with higher online gaming, online sex, and online gambling, and negatively associated with social media and online shopping. Narcissism was related to higher social media use; Machiavellianism was related to higher online gaming, online sex, and online gambling; sadism was related to online sex; and spitefulness was associated with online sex, online gambling, and online shopping. Finally, Machiavellianism and spitefulness were directly and indirectly associated with PIU via online gambling, online gaming, and online shopping, and narcissism was indirectly associated with PIU through social media use. Discussion: Findings of this preliminary study show that individuals high in dark personality traits may be more vulnerable in developing problematic online use and that further research is warranted to examine the associations of dark personality traits with specific types of problematic online activities.

The human primordial need and desire for sex is nowadays often satisfied in the cyberspace, bringing sex at the top of internet search results. Importantly, a percentage between 50-60% of internet visits is of sexual intent and pleasure, while the 25% of total daily search in the USA involves pornographic content. Any sexually oriented activity within the cyberspace is generally defined as Cybersex; it is usually expressed by acts pertaining to the search for sexual partner and for sexual stimulation and orgasm through visual stimulations, messages or conversations. This brings positive or negative effects into the real life of the user and their social environment. The central aim of this paper is a comprehensive overview of the relevant literature and concepts, emphasizing on Web 1.0, through a critical discussion of the sexual behaviour spectrum, as well as of users' characteristics on the basis of real life effects.

This paper investigates the social and ethical structures that are posited by societies and individuals to justify actions in the presentation of identity, sexual attraction and the acceptable boundaries of the sexual interface. The use of the word eth(n)ics is purposeful. In mathematics the letter n can equal any number and it is in this sense that I use the word eth(n)ics - a looking from multiple view-points rather than from a single point perspective.

This article considers the ethics of sexual telepresence by tracing the history of mechanical and digital sex and exploring the possibilities facilitated by current and emerging technology. My aim is to consider how people have used technology to engage in new forms of sexual expression in order to more clearly delineate exactly what constitutes cheating and the ethical lines surrounding such behaviours. As with non-digital forms of intimacy, it seems clear that there is a range of behaviours that invite different people to draw the lines in different places, ranging from flirtation to erotic talk, to physical contact. But the goal of this article is not merely to consider where the lines may lie, but rather to examine how the medium in which the interaction takes place invites individuals to make particular moral judgments concerning what lines should exist at all concerning both physical and emotional intimacy.

В статье рассматриваются языковые, графические и символьные способы конструирования сексуальной идентичности участников сексуального онлайн-взаимодействия в секстинге. Для исследования был собран корпус русскоязычных и англоязычных секстов общим объеaмом в 500 секстов. В ходе анализа были выделены соматические и аффективные комплексы, посредством которых конструируются образы коммуникантов, соответствующие господствующему в обществе телесному канону, налагающему ограничение на распределение ролей в сексуальном взаимодействии и влияющему на представление участников интеракции о идеализированном согласованном сексуальном взаимодействии.

Der Text analysiert die Transformationen des Sexuellen, die sich durch die Ausbreitung von Sexspielzeug und Cybersex ergeben. Sexualität und Technologie erweisen sich als wechselseitig füreinander produktiv; die technischen Sexual-Objekte  tragen zur  Optimierbarkeit und Entdramatisierung der Sexualität bei. Damit werden, so die These, Orgasmen nicht nur potentiell aus dem Bereich der Intimbeziehung gelöst, sondern auch aus dem Sexuellen selbst. So kontextualisiert beispielsweise die Werbung für Vibrationen den Orgasmus als Dimension von Wellness und Entspannung.

Resumen Este breve ensayo aborda un análisis del cibersexo en la película de Brett Leonard El jardinero asesino inocente. Es una pelicula plagada de contradicciones en sus contenidos, debate la realidad virtual como violencia, pero al mismo tiempo como posibilidad. Así, en este trabajo se presenta una panorama de formas de entender la realidad virtual, consluyendo con el tema del cibersexo. La realidad virtual es el sueño que despiertos soñamos en el cuerpo de la tecnología. El boceto En 1992 apareció en la escena cinematográfica El jardinero asesino inocente en español y conocida también con el nombre de El cortador de césped. Dirigida por Brett Leonard y curiosamente como suele ocurrir en el cine ciencia ficción, la película resulta ser la adaptación de una novela de Stephen King llamada The Lawnmower man. A pesar de su deficiente logro, considerado por la critica en términos de adaptación y de construcción cinematográfica, el jardinero asesino es un filme pionero y se ha convertido en un clásico por introducir en escena lo tecnológico, la realidad virtual y el ciberespacio, a través de sus imágenes generadas por ordenador que representaban entornos virtuales, como aparecen a menudo en el trabajo de Brett Leonard. Una de las más representativas es la escena del cibersexo, donde los cuerpos virtuales exploran nuevas dimensiones de lo erótico, y que ha sido retomada no sólo como categoría artística y estética, sino igualmente como representación de análisis por la ciencia social al reflexionar sobre las nuevas tecnologías.

Most studies on men seeking men and who use the Internet for sexual purposes have focused on the epidemiological outcomes of Internet cruising. Other research has only focused on online sexual behaviours such as cybersex. The present study examines men who find the acts of Internet cruising and emailing to be erotic as self-contained behaviours. We surveyed 499 men who used craigslist.org for sexually-oriented purposes, and ran an ordinary least squares multiple regression model to determine the demographic characteristics of men seeking men who found Internet cruising erotic. Our results showed that younger compared to older men seeking men found the acts erotic. Likewise, men seeking men from mid-sized cities and large cities compared to men from smaller cities found Internet cruising and emailing to be erotic. Most notably, bisexual- and heterosexual-identifying men seeking men compared to gay-identifying men found these acts to be more erotic. Our results suggested that self-contained Internet cruising might provide dual functions. For some men (e.g., heterosexual-identifying men), the behaviour provides a sexual outlet in which fantasy and experimentation may be explored without risking stigmatization. For other men (e.g., those from large cities), the behaviour may be an alternative to offset sexual risk while still being able to ‘get off’.La mayoría de los estudios acerca de hombres que buscan hombres (HBH) y sobre hombres que usan la Internet para fines sexuales se ha centrado en los resultados epidemiológicos de los “ligues” cibernéticos. Otras investigaciones han dirigido su enfoque al comportamiento sexual en línea, como por ejemplo, el cibersexo. El presente estudio se orienta al análisis de hombres que opinan que el intercambiar correos electrónicos y los actos vinculados al ligar por Internet resultan eróticos en tanto comportamientos autocontenidos. Los autores encuestaron a 499 hombres que usan craigslist.org para fines sexuales. Posteriormente, corrieron un modelo de regresión múltiple de mínimos cuadrados ordinarios de los resultados, con el fin de determinar las características demográficas de los HBH que consideran que el ligue cibernético es erótico. Los resultados obtenidos demuestran que, comparando hombres mayores vs. hombres jóvenes, quienes en mayor medida encuentran erótico el acto de ligar por la Internet, son los hombres jóvenes. Asimismo, se constató que, en relación a los HBH que residen en ciudades pequeñas, aquellos que lo hacen en ciudades medianas y grandes muestran mayor tendencia a encontrar erótico el ligue cibernético y el intercambio de correos electrónicos. En particular, cabe señalar que, en comparación con los hombres que se autoidentifican como gay, aquellos HBH que se autoidentifican como bisexuales o heterosexuales, muestran mayor predisposición a considerar eróticos los actos referidos. Los resultados también demuestran que el ligue cibernético autocontenido podría desempeñar una función dual. Para algunos hombres -por ejemplo, quienes se autoidentifican como heterosexuales-, este comportamiento constituye una satisfacción sexual en la que se pueden realizar fantasías y experimentaciones sin arriesgarse a ser estigmatizados. Para otros -por ejemplo, los de ciudades grandes-, este comportamiento puede ser una alternativa que disminuye el riesgo sexual y de todas maneras permite el goce sexual.La plupart des études sur les hommes qui cherchent à rencontrer d'autres hommes et utilisent Internet dans un but sexuel se sont interrogées sur les conséquences épidémiologiques de la drague via Internet. D'autres se sont concentrées sur les seuls comportements sexuels en ligne comme le cybersexe. Cette étude s'est focalisée sur des hommes qui pensent que les actes de drague et de communication (courriels) via Internet sont aussi érotiques que les comportements autonomes. Nous avons interrogé 499 hommes utilisant craiglist.org dans un but sexuel et suivi un modèle ordinaire de régression multiple des moindres carrés pour déterminer les caractéristiques démographiques d'hommes cherchant à rencontrer d'autres hommes et percevant la drague sur Internet comme érotique. Nos résultats montrent que parmi ces hommes, comparativement aux plus âgés, ce sont les plus jeunes qui trouvaient ces actes érotiques. De même, comparativement aux hommes résidant dans les plus petites villes, ce sont les hommes vivant dans les villes moyennes et plus importantes qui trouvaient la drague sur Internet et les emails érotiques. Plus particulièrement, les hommes s'identifiant comme bisexuels ou hétérosexuels et cherchant à rencontrer d'autres hommes, comparativement aux hommes s'identifiant comme gays, trouvaient ces actes plus érotiques encore. Nos résultats suggèrent que la drague autonome sur Internet pourrait avoir une double fonction. Pour certains hommes (par ex. ceux qui s'identifient comme hétérosexuels), ce comportement offre un débouché sexuel, dans lequel phantasme et expérimentation peuvent être explorés sans risque de stigmatisation. Pour d'autres (par ex. ceux qui vivent dans les grandes villes), ce comportement serait peut-être une alternative de compensation du risque sexuel, alors qu'ils sont encore capables de «baiser».

Écrivain, professeur de philosophie et camboy, il a mené pendant
plusieurs années une enquête anthropologique non orthodoxe ou
sauvage2
, non pas « sur », mais « dans » le vidéochat de la plateforme xx.com, auprès des différents acteurs qui y sont impliqués, explorant ce que j’appellerai ici l’agentivité des écritures
spectrales en régime 24/73
. Parmi toutes les interactions que Jean
Gilbert a pu créer avec les modèles ou ASP (Adult Service Provider)
animant cette plateforme, c’est la correspondance singulière qu’il
a entretenue avec la camgirl LilyAsh qui fait l’objet de ce livre. Ces
échanges entre Jean Gilbert alias JoeyXX, Demonloverr, invité
et Fanny alias LilyAsh, PénisNu, ressemblent pour de multiples
raisons à un « commerce avec les fantômes ».

In my thesis, I am arguing that cybersex does bring real and actual benefits to some
individual women in terms of expansion of their sexual autonomy, but these benefits (for the moment at least) affect only some individual women in their online life. However, the negative phenomena of cybersex such as rape, sexual objectification, and coerced prostitution systematically affect women as a social group both in their online and offline lives.

I am defending my thesis by, firstly, giving the definition of cybersex and researching how it affects our understanding of sexuality. Secondly, I am considering all positive effects that cybersex brings to women and arguing that they can be summarized as the expansion of women's sexual autonomy. Thirdly, I am researching negative phenomena of cybersex and how they are limiting women's sexual autonomy. Fourthly, I am describing other feminist views on cybersex (the empowerment approach by Doring and the relative indifference view by Collins) to show how they are different from my view.

В статье рассматривается роль соматического кода в конструировании сексуального взаимодействия в секстинге. Социальные науки, изучающие секс, сексуальную интеракцию и коммуникацию, определяют секстинг как обмен текстовыми сообщениями, изображениями, видеофайлами и GIF-файлами откровенно сексуального содержания посредством интернет-приложений или SMS/MMS, установленных на смартфоне, ПК, ноутбуке или планшете. Проанализировав корпус из 500 секстов (к которым в данной работе отнесены как отдельно взятые сообщения сексуального содержания, так и совокупность сообщений, образующих переписку), нами было выделены (1) наиболее частотные по количеству упоминаний части тела, относящиеся как к субъекту действия, так и к объекту воздействия, (2) виды и интенсивность воздействия на тело, (3) звуковые и сенсорные маркеры. Таким образом, аспект телесности был охарактеризован как ключевой концепт, конструирующий виртуальную реальность сексуального взаимодействия в секстинге. На основании полученных данных были выделены гендерные роли и связанные с ними полоролевые паттерны.


За иллюстрации и помощь в графическом оформлении статьи я благодарна: https://independent.academia.edu/EkaterinaDekhtyarenko

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SOMATIC CODE IN SEXTING
The paper considers the role of somatic code in the construction of sexual interaction in sexting. The social sciences dealing with sex, sexual interaction and communication, determine sexting as exchange of sexually explicit texts, images, GIF-files or videos via Web-based applications or SMS/MMS installed on smartphones, PC, laptops or tablets. Having analyzed the corpora of 500 sext (which in  this paper include both separate messages  or a whole chat) the author singles out (1) the most frequently mentioned parts of the body of both the subject of the action and the target person, (2) the kinds and range of intensity of manipulation with the body, (3)the sound and sensory markers.  Thus aspect of corporality is characterized as key concept constructing virtual reality of sexual interaction in sexting. As the result of data obtained, the article indenties the gender-based roles and the sex role patterns assosiated with them.

Single-item measures of sexual behaviours are often used in sex research despite wide acknowledgment of their limitations. In this study, we used cybersex as a case study to examine how well a single-item measure captured the incidence of a sexual behaviour. To do so, we examined whether participants’ reports on single-item and multi-item measures of cybersex were concordant (i.e., participants report experience on both measures) or discordant (i.e., participants report experience on one measure but not the other). Heterosexual participants (N = 376) completed a single-item and multi-item measure of lifetime cybersex experience, as well as a background questionnaire, a measure of socially desirable responding, frequency of cybersex experience, and frequency of other online sexual activities. A χ² analysis revealed that significantly more participants reported concordant responses (71.5%) than endorsed the multi-item measure only (26.6%), or the single-item measure only (1.9%). In addition, a χ² analysis indicated that, compared with the proportion of participants who had cybersex experience with a nonpartner, a greater proportion of participants who had cybersex experience only with their primary partner endorsed the multi-item measure but not the single-item measure. A discriminant function analysis indicated that participants with more sexual experience online and offline were more likely to be concordant; gender, age, hours spent online in a week, and socially desirable responding did not discriminate concordant from discordant responders. The findings specifically indicate that single-item measures of cybersex are limited in their accuracy. To address this limitation, researchers should use clear, specific, multi-item measures to assess sexual behaviour domains. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)

This article introduces the concept of sexual authorship – text-dominant instances employing narrative to communicate and construct the body and sexual activity. Sexual authorship includes cybersex, online erotica shared in communities or non-profit contexts, and blogging. The article investigates all three forms to elucidate the similarities that exist, making use of Simon and Gagnon's ‘Sexual Scripting Theory', and reveals a common form of sexual experience for the author/reader based on several themes. A mutual construction of a fantasy for arousal is established where produsers are aroused during authorship, and by virtue of the knowledge that others will use their production for sexual excitement. This performative aspect is achieved by utilizing shared ‘tokens of meaning’ to construct a represented body, which may serve purely as a fantasy object or mediate the physical or enacted body of the individual, or attempt all three.

Cybersex is a constellation of partnered, online sexual activities; yet, researchers have not considered the relationship between participants. In this study, we examined cybersex within three partner contexts that differ in their degree of anonymity: primary partner, someone known who was not a partner (known non-partner), and stranger. Participants were 105 men and 264 women who reported at least one cybersex experience. They completed an online survey that included measures of the incidence, frequency, and desired frequency of cybersex within each partner context. Significantly more men and women reported that they had engaged in cybersex with a primary partner compared to a known non-partner and stranger. Participants also desired significantly more frequent cybersex in this context. Compared to the women, the men desired significantly more frequent cybersex overall but only engaged in more frequent cybersex with a stranger. Within partner contexts, there was a positive association between desired and enacted frequency. In addition, participants who desired more frequent cybersex within one partner context also desired more frequent cybersex within other partner contexts. The findings suggest that to fully understand cybersex experience it is necessary to consider gender and the degree of anonymity in the partner context.