Digital devices have evolved throughout the years, mainly in their function. The way children and adults engage with digital devices is interesting in the 21st century. Today, digital devices are referred to as “smartphones.” How are digital devices “smart” today? Can algorithms be smart? What seems apparent is that algorithms have been trained to capture the attention of as many people as possible. How attention is captured is becoming a more important question that must be answered. The methods that algorithm developers are using to capture attention have led children to act on impulses that is leading to psychological death.
Sending messages that are nude, partially nude, or that present sexual acts has been normalized by algorithms. Developing an identity for children, adolescents, and young people is an important milestone that must be completed to maintain well-being (Doyle et al., 2021). Identity for many young people is made up of sexualized impulses. When I am told that I am sexy, I have an identity. Psychological death is the result.
Identity is made up of characteristics like honesty, open-mindedness, kindness, and assertiveness. This is not an exhaustive list, however. Identity cannot be developed when someone’s dopamine systems are hijacked. Screens plus sexual behavior create “black holes” in a child’s identity. The hole is filled up with “likes”, “emojis”, creating the necessary cognitive foundation for future psychiatric disorders like antisocial personality disorder. Psychological death is the result.
Sam Altman, one of the major tech gurus of ChatGPT, has recently announced the development of “AI porn.” Sam recently said in an interview with Forbes Magazine that AI porn is not addictive. Sam has clearly taken the “blue pill”; the reality that Sam has created is not supported by robust Child Developmental Psychology. AI Porn will further accelerate the dopamine hijacking in a child’s brain (and the brain of an adult!). Sexbots that are more childlike can create opportunities to destroy a child’s identity, as well as undermine sexual health. Sexual disorders often co-occur with trauma experiences in children who are experiencing identity issues.
The situation looks bleak for our young people. Making friends by sharing nude pictures and/or other sexually related pictures undermines many developmental stages in children. Sexting is the equivalent of handing a bag of cocaine to a child after telling the child the cocaine is not addictive.
Reference
Doyle, C., Douglas, E., & O’Reilly, G. (2021). The outcomes of sexting for children and adolescents: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of Adolescence, 92, 86–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.08.009
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Clinical Complex Trauma Specialist (CCTS-1),
Certified Dialectical Behavioral Therapist (C-DBT),
Certified Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counseling (CADC)
