This paper explores the historical and contemporary concerns about media violence and sexual content's influence on children and adolescents. Drawing on research from the Surgeon General's Scientific Advisory Committee and the National Institute of Mental Health, the paper documents how technological advancement has increased children's exposure to harmful content through television, video games, social media, and music. The author contrasts childhood media exposure in past decades with today's saturated digital environment, then outlines evidence-based parental strategies—including monitoring, time limits, dialogue, and parental control software—to mitigate negative behavioral and psychological effects.
Throughout history, parents and educators have expressed concern about the stories and media to which children are exposed, fearing potential negative impacts on their development. Since Plato's time, however, the sources of these stories have expanded exponentially. Today, large portions of narratives originate from mass media—television, movies, video games, computer games, the Internet, and music. Each new form of mass media entertainment has sparked worries about its potential to damage children, and researchers have produced substantial evidence of media's capacity to influence young viewers negatively.
Technology continues to advance, yet sex and violence remain persistent concerns in contemporary media. The pace of media innovation has outstripped our ability to conduct formal research before widespread adoption. Since my own childhood, significant changes have occurred in media depiction of sex and violence. This paper examines why these issues have intensified and illustrates their effects on both children and adults. It also explores recommendations for minimizing media's harmful impacts and presents examples of how new media technologies have negatively influenced younger and older generations. Finally, it proposes strategies for addressing these challenges. By understanding new media innovations and their effects on depictions of sex and violence, society can develop greater awareness of the harms that accompany unrestricted access to digital content.
Technology is central to modern life and has been a defining element of human civilization from its earliest stages, continuing into the future. With a single click, information travels through multiple channels instantly. The rapidly evolving media industry demonstrates how quickly the world is changing in how information is delivered to audiences. In today's world, sex and violence in public discourse remain hot-button issues in media, and despite advancing technologies, their prevalence continues to grow at an alarming rate.
Reflecting on media portrayals of sex and violence during my youth reveals a starkly different landscape. As a young child, I had limited exposure to adult conversations or activities. When my mother and aunts hosted adult friends, children were directed to another room. We were permitted to leave only for brief moments, such as using the restroom, or when called out to perform a song or dance for entertainment. Being sequestered kept us away from conversations about sex and adult topics. While I understood that adults engaged in activities I would never witness, such subjects remained unspoken in my mother's presence.
Television was family entertainment in a way that is difficult to imagine today. Households typically had a single television set in the family room, which meant children had few viewing choices. Our parents controlled what we watched. If our mother was watching, we watched what she selected. Without adult supervision, our viewing was restricted to cartoons and family-friendly programs like The Cosby Show. We had extremely limited television time—approximately one hour daily. Saturday offered the most viewing freedom, consisting of children's programs followed by Soul Train, and only after we completed household chores. Once these shows ended, we went outside to play with friends until streetlights came on.
As I grew older, I gained access to more dramatic television programming that aired after 9 p.m., including 21 Jump Street, In Living Color, and Saturday Night Live, alongside family sitcoms like Alf, Family Matters, and Full House. Although these shows were considered adult content, they depicted minimal violence, and most language was still considered acceptable by parental standards at that time. This controlled media environment stands in sharp contrast to contemporary childhood, where children have unrestricted access to content across multiple platforms.
Since television's earliest days, educators, lawmakers, and mental health professionals have discussed media's effects on children. During the 1980s and 1990s, dramatic growth in computer technology increased children's access to personal computers. A particular concern has been the depiction of violence, especially in light of psychologist Albert Bandura's work in the 1970s on social learning and children's tendency to imitate observed behavior.
Following 15 years of "consistently disturbing" research findings about violent content in children's programs, the Surgeon General's Scientific Advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior was established in 1969 to assess violence's impact on viewers' attitudes, values, and behavior. A follow-up report in 1982 by the National Institute of Mental Health identified three major effects of television violence exposure:
In contrast to today's media environment, the previous era lacked YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter. News broadcasts at 6 p.m. differed from those at 11 p.m., and messages traveled slowly through postal services. Online social networking did not exist. Entertainment came primarily through parental outings to arcades or movie theaters. The introduction of Atari and Nintendo changed this landscape, though access still required money—a luxury not all families possessed.
Scholar Rose Goldsen offers a scathing critique of American commercial television, emphasizing a crucial point: although one can turn off the television set, one cannot turn off the "television environment." Many parents adopt a "cross your fingers and hope for the best" philosophy regarding their children's online access. However, even after discussions about screen-time limits, responsible online conduct, and safety safeguards, managing children's online behavior remains exceptionally challenging—whether or not parents are present.
Technical parental controls can help parents ensure their children's Internet experiences remain safe, fun, and productive. These tools work best when used consistently and transparently in partnership with children. Parental controls are built into most electronic devices and operating systems, including Microsoft Windows and Apple's Mac OS; web browsers such as Safari, Chrome, and Internet Explorer; and kid-specific browsers such as Zoodles, Kidoz, and Kidzui. Additional software can be purchased and installed on devices to limit usage and website access, such as AVG Family Safety, Microchip, or Kids Mode. With these controls in place, parents can track children's usage and restrict which websites they visit.
According to SCAN.org, sex and violence are common in media, and children's exposure to such content easily influences and distorts their behavior, perceptions, and personalities. Today's children watch an average of four hours of television daily, listen to music four to five hours per day, and play video games up to seven hours weekly. Television watching alone is estimated to account for at least 10 percent of youth violence. Video games depicting violence are the most heavily marketed and consumed. These statistics raise critical questions: What message does this send our children? That violence is acceptable? That sexual activity at age ten is normal? That disrespecting parents is permissible?
Media's impact on children has expanded relentlessly as new, more advanced media forms have been created and made accessible. Greater accessibility and affordability have given children easier access to harmful content. Positive impacts include early preparation for learning, instructive improvement, exposure to discussions of social issues, presentation of human arts through music and performance, and entertainment. However, harmful effects may result from sensationalization of violent behavior, exposure to subtle or explicit sexual content, promotion of unrealistic body images, depiction of poor health habits as desirable practices, and exposure to persuasive advertising targeting children. Today, children access computers not only at home but also at school. While most schools employ controls to block inappropriate sites, some tech-savvy children know how to circumvent these safeguards.
"Evidence-based strategies and professional guidance for mitigating media harm"
Although technology continues to evolve, active parenting and monitoring children's exposure to sex and violence should remain the highest priority. By ensuring that children in our care receive proper supervision when using social media, video games, websites, and music, we can curb their exposure to harmful content. When children are not exposed to violence, they are less likely to exhibit violent behavior themselves. By understanding new media innovations and their effects, society can develop greater awareness of the harms accompanying unrestricted digital access and take meaningful action to protect young people.
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