Social Media, Sexting, and Porn: What to Know with Family Planning NZ

Social media platforms were originally founded as digital platforms to connect people to share information and their ideas with one another on the internet. With digital communication becoming increasingly ubiquitous in the 21st Century, social media has a huge impact on the day-to-day lives of most people, seeing as 82% of all New Zealanders use social media.

The various pros and cons of social media is an argument that’s been going on since the dawn of these platforms. Though social media nurtures and fosters communities for like-minded individuals to freely share their various learnings and insights, this also leaves people prone to being misinformed on certain subject matters and current events. The free flow of entertainment from all over the world is amazing, but it can expose people to cyberbullying and participating in dangerous trends because social media is a “prosumer” environment. “Pro“ as in producing content, and “sumer” as in consumer, most people on social media are prosumers as they’re actively making and using the content online.

On the 20th of October we had Kristina from Family Planning NZ share with our Tāmaki whanau the evolution of social media as well as the risks of using these platforms when it comes to privacy, specifically sexting and revenge porn. Online safety is a key skill to have to successfully navigate the digital ocean. Having a pragmatic and non-judgemental approach as well as critically thinking/questioning everything you see will help you on your digital journey.

People and their relationship with social media vary from person-to-person. Being able to identify (potentially) harmful online behaviour will ensure the safety of you and your loved ones online. The HEART Movement and Family Planning NZ encourage healthy online habits, so that your digital relationships maybe as healthy as your in-person relationships.