Toward an increased understanding of user demographics in online sexual activities.

A large study (N = 7,037) was conducted through the MSNBC website during June 2000 to explore the general profile of people who engage in online sexual activity (OSA) as well as gender differences in OSA. The study explored ways in which the Internet is used for sexual activities, reasons for engaging in OSA, and consequences of use. The study found a relationship between use of OSA and its consequences in users' lives as well as significant gender differences in user profiles. Significant gender differences were found in reasons respondents gave for engaging in OSA and OSA-related behaviors. Overall, these findings increase our understanding of the user profiles of people who engage in OSA and corroborate gender differences in offline research. Implications for further research are discussed.