Navigating Digital Platforms in Adolescence: A Population‑Based Study of Online Sexual Experiences and Violations

Background Digital platforms provide contexts for both normative adolescent sexual exploration and potential victimization. We lack understanding of the diversity of experiences adolescents encounter, and importantly, and how they subjectively appraise them. How a young person subjectively perceives an event may impact associations with health.Methods This preregistered study used population-based self-report data from 3,675 adolescents aged 12–16 years to examine the prevalence of different online sexual experiences and violations, ranging from sharing sexual content to having nude images spread on social media. Additionally, the study probes several measures of subjective appraisals, including how distressing experiences were, regret and assessments of the extent to which one felt one was forced or tricked into the experience. Generalized linear models were used to examine associations between cumulative exposure to online sexual experiences and violations and mental health symptoms (Hopkins Symptom Checklist), somatic symptoms (Children’s Somatic Symptoms Inventory), and current and peak subjective distress related to these experiences. Regret was examined as a potential moderator. Logistic regression examined the history of offline sexual abuse by an adult as a risk factor.Results By age 16, 49% of adolescents reported at least one online sexual experience or violation. Greater cumulative exposure was associated with more mental and somatic symptoms and higher current and peak subjective distress. Associations with symptoms remained even when accounting for symptoms from two years prior, family affluence, removing most severe items, and excluding participants reporting being coerced or tricked into the experience. Regret did not moderate exposure – subjective distress associations. Offline sexual abuse by an adult substantially increased the odds of having online sexual experiences or violations. Girls reported more coercion and subjective distress related to online sexual experiences, although boys were less likely to provide data on these measures.Conclusions Digital contexts should be recognized as important developmental arenas in which adolescents navigate sexuality and intimacy, and where normative exploratory processes and potential risks co-occur. Future research should examine the socio-contextual factors that may render some online sexual experiences detrimental to health, informing efforts to create safer digital spaces that support adolescents’ exploration while protecting them from harm.