OVER the past week, the Internet has been rife with discussion surrounding the release and subsequent distribution of a number of videos vividly displaying students from various high schools engaging in sexual acts. Dubbed the “sexual act challenge,” the videos all seem to have been recorded on school premises, while the children are in uniform. The circulation of these videos has further sparked widespread outrage on several grounds from members of the public. There is first, the shock at the content itself: minors indulging in sex and doing so in a manner that clearly identifies them. Second, there is outrage at the spread of the videos, as hundreds of persons have taken to sharing them for reasons ranging from shock, to disdain or unfortunately, amusement.
Much of the discussions surrounding the matter involves the blame game: who or what is responsible for this type of behaviour? Many fingers point to the “new generation” and their disregard for morals and values that should have been taught them. Others believe that there is a lack of discipline in the homes, while others believe that the school system is what is failing these children.
But a fair assessment would point to technology and the dark side that follows, along with all its greatness. In this age, our children are born into the world of computers. In fact, tablets and smart phones are devices made available to children at such a young age, that there are toddlers who know to download and navigate apps and games before even learning to read.
This is the world in which we live. Hand in hand with technology, goes the Internet– that vast space of infinite information. This magnificent pair therefore provides us all with one thing: exposure — to knowledge; to good; to bad; to everything.
A 2014 survey by Time.com revealed that the average young person spends over seven hours a day on media devices, all of which are connected to the Internet. The Internet, in turn, provides uninhibited access to websites, movies, music videos and apps that portray gross sexual content and messages. The reality of the situation is that upon entry into even the tiniest corner of the Internet, a person gains access to the world.
The other side of the coin is that, even without the Internet, young people’s knowledge about sexual activity is no less limited. In fact, discussions on this series of events sparked comments that these acts have been occurring for years, and that today’s version in video form and social media popularity is simply an evolution brought on by technology.
On a side note, that the callous way in which the situation was handled by adults which resulted in the pandemic spread of these videos — despite the fact that the acts involved minors which therefore required their protection — is yet another shameful result of Internet culture and a lack of boundaries.
But exposure to the Internet makes it impossible to assess exactly how much children learn from each other, both in person and online. But this exposure does not come with advice on how to deal with these elements. Our children are exposed — to the point of overexposure — and we must now meet them halfway by ensuring that the knowledge and wisdom we instil in them are just as evolved as the technological world they now explore.
It means that sex education must be upgraded — at home and in schools. Studies show that Sex Ed is not being taught enough in schools and for those schools that do have it on their syllabus, many students have already been privy to sex and sexual activities by the time they are actually taught. So consideration should be given as to when the introduction of Sex Ed is made. Parents, of course, need to talk to their children and move away from the misconception that they are “too young” to deal with certain things. If “too young” does not qualify for their entry into the wide, wide world of the Internet, then it should not qualify for instilling knowledge in them about the things that the Internet introduces them to.
Sex Ed must also now evolve to even incorporate social media culture; advice on online dating etiquette; cyber bullying; catphishing and various tech-related features that could very well cause an explosion of disrepute in the manner that we see all too often. As one member of the public said within one of the discussions, “We make our children, we do not make their minds,” but we must prepare their minds to make healthy decisions. Once they enter into the world, they are on their own, and it is the knowledge that is instilled in them, that will guide the decisions they make.