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Sex and the Internet

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Synonyms

Computer sex; Cybersex; Cybersexuality; Internet sex; Online sex; Virtual sex

Definition

The use of computer technology and online websites to generate sexual arousal, performance, exchange, and/or connection.

Introduction

The Internet has generated the most significant changes to human sexuality since we transitioned from being nomadic to primarily settled, agricultural cultures. The term “cybersexuality” has been coined to capture these new kinds of sexual practices and ideologies, which Ross (2005:342) describes as “as a sexual space midway between fantasy and action.” Access and availability are particularly important factors that shape sex online, which can be accessed by almost everywhere and anywhere. Indeed, there are more than 4.39 billion Internet users in 2019, which is over half of the world’s population (Kemp, 2019).

The Internet impacts every aspect of our sexual lives: how we view our bodies; the ways we perform and experience sex; the array of sexualities we...

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Correspondence to Treena Orchard .

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© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

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Orchard, T. (2019). Sex and the Internet. In: Lykins, A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sexuality and Gender. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59531-3_17-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59531-3_17-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-59531-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-59531-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences

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