Virtual Social Sexual Networks and Their Impact on Family Upbringing in Palestinian Society

Abstract

This study aimed to measure the extent of Palestinian youth’s use of social networks for sexual purposes, analyze the nature of sexual content exchanged on these networks, explore the motivations driving youth to use social networks for sexual purposes, assess the impact of using social networks for sexual purposes on family interaction and relationships, and examine the effect of family guidance and supervision on the use of social networks for sexual purposes. The descriptive-analytical method was used, targeting all Palestinian youth in the West Bank governorates aged between 18-29 years, totaling (915,191) according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. The minimum sample size was (384), and data were collected through an electronic questionnaire distributed on Palestinian social media, resulting in a final sample size of (619) individuals. The results showed that social sexual networks have a significant negative impact on family upbringing in the Palestinian community. The extent of use, the nature of the exchanged content, and the motivations behind using social networks for sexual purposes all have negative effects on family upbringing. The findings also indicated that respondents’ responses do not differ significantly based on gender or educational level, but they do differ between singles and married individuals, with a greater impact of social sexual networks on married individuals and a greater impact on family upbringing among singles. Based on these results, the study recommends 
enhancing family awareness and digital guidance, supporting mental health, developing educational content, strengthening regulations and legislation, cooperating with educational institutions, creating safe platforms for youth, and providing alternative programs for entertainment and social interaction.