In Lebanon, “Sex education was first ‘officially’ introduced in 1995” (Ilkkaracan, 2008, p. 84). At that time Lebanon started a national plan for educational development called “Reconstruction and Development” of Lebanon. The program was set for the high school curriculum, as a part of the official Life Sciences textbook; however, few years after sexual education was for the first time introduced in Lebanon, the Educational Plan was withdrawn after facing numerous criticisms from various religious groups (Ilkkaracan, 2008). Lebanon is the most diverse Arab country in Western Asia with 17 official religious communities, mostly Christian (Maronites and Protestants) and Muslim (Sunnis and Shiites). As an outcome of such a religiously diverse region, sexual education in Lebanon has its supporters and critics.

During the 1960s, university professor and psychoanalyst Munir Chamoun “unofficially” attempted to introduce sexual education in order to establish an educational program in the Catholic school system of Lebanon for students aged 10 to adolescents (Ilkkaracan, 2008). However, the attempt was unsuccessful and no further information is to be found concerning Dr. Chamoun, since it seems that he stopped his studies. The Lebanese Family Planning Association had sex education initiations as well, for a period of over thirty years. Eventually, The Reference Book in Population Education was published in 2004 including only a chapter on sex education under the camouflaged title “Health and Life.” Publishing this reference book was of high importance for initiators and adolescents, since this was the first official step towards sexual education in the country. The curriculum was covering anatomical and psychological characteristics of puberty, a brief description of male and female reproductive organs, menstrual cycle, fertilization, and sexually transmitted infections.

On the other hand, those who are against sexual education in Lebanon, such as religious groups, believe that sexual topics being presented to adolescents lead to early sexual experimentations. The sexual education curriculum mentioned above, which only aimed prevention, found opposition by Muslim religious leaders. They moved to freeze the curriculum’s implementation and tried through the Prime Minister to eliminate the sex education curriculum (Ilkkaracan, 2008, p. 88). In Muslim religious leaders’ opinion, “this education is contaminated with the values of the society that produced it (“the West”) and alien to the values of Lebanese society” (Ilkkaracan, 2008, p. 97).

According to World Health Organization (WHO, 2010), 20% of the total population of around four million are youth. They face twofold discrimination: one of which dealing with the Lebanese laws and more relevant to youth ordinary life - society. Moreover, “most of the data available on youth health describe health problems related to behavior, namely: violence, unprotected sex, unhealthy diet, inactivity and smoking” (WHO, 2010, p. 4). As a result, they lack self-confidence and self-esteem, and seldom express their thoughts comfortably and courageously.

According to Ilkkaracan (2008), the “Education for AIDS Prevention” project conducted one qualitative and quantitative study on a sample of the students between ages 12 and 15 from schools in Beirut, and the final recommendations that came as a result of qualitative analysis of 27 focus groups was that adolescents expressed the need for sex education in schools. This need is crucial for students to attain in its most factual form, especially that they have accessibility to endless content at their figure tips through the Internet.

The Internet impacts every aspect of our sexual lives: how we view our bodies; the ways we perform and experience sex; the array of sexualities we can observe; the dating and marriage partners we have access to; and the content and delivery of sexual education resources; and it generates opportunities to exploit and harm people in a multitude of ways (McGowan, 2015 as cited in Orchard, 2019).

Today, adolescents have easy access to many media channels. “Teens spend up to half the time, they are awake, with some form of media” (Brown et al., 2011, p. 10).

Borzekowski (2006) stated that in the last decades, Internet use by adolescents has changed from an unusual to a commonplace activity. At the same time adolescents today live in a world in which sexual behavior is frequent and increasingly explicit. Internet, as an easy access medium, became the most go-to place for the use of sexually explicit materials. The most common reasons for accessing sexually explicit materials on the Internet are curiosity and seeking information/education. Sexual curiosity and trying to find information about sexuality, sexual health and relationships are considered natural and healthy. However, the type of sexually explicit material that adolescents search online differs, and most of it is for free.

A national study in Switzerland showed that schools have a pivotal role in sex education (Barrense-Dias et. al., 2019). The researchers found that participants who claimed that their main source of sexual education was schools were more A national study in Switzerland showed that schools have a pivotal role in sex education (Barrense-Dias et. al., 2019). The researchers found that participants who claimed that their main source of sexual education was schools were more likely to have more positive sexual experiences than those who relied primarily on the Internet, friends, nobody, etc. (Barrense-Dias, et. al., 2019).

An online survey of youth administered in 25 European countries found that older youth were more likely to have seen sexual images online than those who were younger (Hasbrink, Goerzig, Haddon, Kalmus, & Livingstone, 2011). “Findings from the survey indicated that 5% of 9 to 10 year olds had been exposed to sexually explicit material on an Internet website compared to 8% of 11 to 12 year olds, 16% of 13 to 14 year olds, and 25% of 15 to 16 year olds" (Hasbrink et. al., 2011, p. 8). According to Peter and Valkenburg (2011) the nationally representative study on adolescents’ sexually explicit Internet material use, done among 1500 U.S. teenagers in 2005, found that 1% of 10 to 11-year-old boys have consumed sexually explicit Internet material deliberately. The proportion increased to 11% among 12 to 13-year-olds, to 26% among 14 to 15-year-olds, and to 38% among 16 to 17-year-old boys. Among 10 to 17-year-old girls, only 2-8% used sexually explicit Internet materials deliberately. This type of information is missing in the Middle East and specifically in Lebanon.

According to Chan and Fang (2007), the Internet was the most popular channel to search for sensitive information among young people in Hong Kong, as well. “The findings indicate that the Internet is more important than personal sources in providing young people with information about sensitive issues” (Chan & Fang, 2007, p. 24). Adolescents can find any information they are interested in on the Internet, and most of the information they can search anonymously (Chan & Fang, 2007). It helps adolescents avoid any kind of trouble from, for example, parents, and avoid the embarrassment, making teachers and parents the last source for this sensitive topic (Chan & Fang, 2007).

A 2002 Council of Ministers of Education survey showed that the Internet was the third most common source of sexual information for teens in Canada, after school and friends (Boyce, Doherty, Fortin, MacKinnon, 2003). Adolescents in Canada are turning to the Internet mostly because they are not satisfied with the sexual health education they receive in schools (Kumar et. al., 2013), and this interest in learning more about sexual health is increasing (Yoost, Ruley, & Durfee, 2021). The topics the adolescents want to learn about are healthy relationships, HIV/AIDS and sexual pleasure, while the things they learn about sex in schools are HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections, and birth control (Kumar et. al., 2013). Adolescents remain a high-risk population in regards to sexually transmitted infection (STI) acquisition and unplanned pregnancy” (Yoost, Ruley, & Durfee, 2021, p. 2).

Adolescents use the Internet as a preferred media tool for any type of information about sex they are interested in, including sexual health information. The Internet is an appropriate type of media where adolescents can limit their searches to issues and topics that are the most relevant to their lives, and the anonymity of the Internet allows them to ask questions that they might not feel comfortable sharing between friends and/or family members (Jones & Biddlecom, 2011). Adolescents are interested in getting accurate information about sex and sexuality, because in increasingly changing sexualized cultures the need is greater than ever for good information opposed to confusing and often unhealthy messages young people get about sexual health and relationships. Adolescents believe that the information they find online is satisfactory and valuable. In other words, adolescents accept information found on the Internet, rather than expressing concerns about the accuracy or authenticity of its information content. At the same time, incorrect information about sexual health found online, may lead to many health risks such as STIs, HIV infection, early pregnancies, etc.

One of the problems that teenagers deal with is the lack of communication that they engage in with their parents or credible human sources about sex in general and sex education more specifically and perhaps this is where the Internet comes into play - the Internet is helping close the uncertainty gap for teenagers and offers them an anonymous space to search for information in private settings (Yoost, Ruley, & Durfee, 2021). However, at the same time “Internet resources must be used with caution, as search engines may include inappropriate websites…or may include inaccurate information” (Yoost, Ruley, & Durfee, 2021, p. 1).

Braun-Courville and Rojals (2008) explained that “mass media play an important role in the socialization of youth, [and that it] may be at the forefront of this education due to its expanding nature and accessibility. However, the extent of the Internet’s impact on adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviors is yet not known” (p. 1). The results of their study indicated that 55.4% of adolescents who reported visiting “sexually explicit websites display higher sexual permissiveness scores [and indicate more permissive attitude] compared with those who have never been exposed to sexually explicit websites” (Braun-Courville & Rojals, 2008, p. 1).

Koletic, Kohut, and Stulhofer’s (2019) findings show that acceptance of casual (e.g., non-relational sex, recreational, multiple partners) unprotected sex behavior during adolescent years ends up escalating, thus they will grow into adulthood having stronger permissive attitudes and hence continue engaging in risky activity, which can potentially impact their health physically (e.g., STIs) and mentally.

Furthermore, the sexually explicit content can also pertain to pornography content. Taylor (2018) indicates that there are several risks associated with watching pornography at an early age, specifically hardcore pornography; these risks are not only on the individual level a concern, but also to societal well-being. Taylor (2018) listed the main issues that are of a major concern to watching pornography, which amount to the normalization of pornographic content, such as “detrimental influence of pornography on the physical, mental and sexual health of adolescents; and the danger pornography poses to children through…sexual attraction for minors…and rising levels of child-on-child sexual assault”, especially since it is widely available or mainstream (p. 4).

Although the studies are not specific to Lebanon, one can assume that at the very least adolescents around the world have their curiosities sparked about the subject matter. All these studies show a similar pattern, namely adolescents are craving for more information about sexual content and that they are using the Internet to get their needs satisfied.

Uses and gratification theory was originally used within media and communication research to determine the motivation behind the use of mass media (Ruggiero, 2000; Stafford, Stafford & Schkade, 2004). Audience members are active in their selection of which media channel (e.g., Internet) to tune to for gratification (e.g., fulfill curiosity) by its messages (e.g., sexual content). Katz, Bluemler, and Gurevitch (1974) believe that it is particularly important to observe the influence of media on the cultural and social base creating the needs that the audience wants to fulfill.

According to Bryant and Zillmann (2002) people have the need for cognition. This is explained as a personality trait where audiences enjoy engaging in cognitive activities, and they get the natural tendency to engage in such activities when given the chance, using media such as television viewing and/or Internet use (Bryant & Zillmann, 2002). In accordance with the uses and gratifications theory, it is expected that Internet use by adolescents is linked with the concerns associated with their development which include developing their identity, sexual adjustment and establishing intimate relationships with their romantic partners (Shulman & Connolly, 2013), since the whole process of adolescents maturing period does not involve schools and parents, as much as it involves constant interaction with close friends.

Jones and Biddlecom (2011) state, "one in four young adults use the internet to find information about sex” (p. 1). It is also mentioned that adolescents use the Internet as the “most common source of information about birth control and sex,” (p. 1) even though they believed that family and friends are more valuable sources.

The uses and gratification theory can be used to explain different ranges of Internet use by adolescents in 21st century. One of the main concepts of uses and gratification theory that is closely connected to adolescents’ “behavior is that media/internet use is selective and motivated by rational self-awareness of the individual’s own needs and that those needs will be satisfied by particular types of media and content” (Ruggiero, 2000, p.18). Motivations for viewing the websites are a specific set of interactive needs of each individual, rather than some kind of isolated static behavior. For these reasons, it is important to recognize what types of adolescent needs are not being satisfied in the traditional sense, thereby pushing youth to gravitate towards the Internet - an open portal to any and all kinds of information.

Bleakley, Hennessy, and Fishbein (2011) state that “the uses and gratifications paradigm in communication research provides an appropriate framework for understanding how sexual activity and/or experience affects exposure to sexual content and how seeking sex in media choices affect adolescent behavior” (p. 1). They continue by stating that “one of the assumptions of the uses and gratifications approach is that media use is purposive and motivated: people are active audience members who, [while seeking for information about sex,] select specific media using it to satisfy their needs, interests, and preferences” (p. 1). However, uses and gratification does not answer the question whether the use of online information about sex causes changes in attitudes, beliefs or behaviors, thus social learning theory is used to emphasize how attitudes and behaviors can be altered from media use.

Social learning theory explains how viewing sexually explicit materials can turn into a problem concerning children, adolescents, and even adults. According to Bandura in 2002, as cited in Turner (2005):

The concept of learning, particularly in its earliest versions, was based in large part on the idea of imitation. Once [a person has] learned the results of some particular behavior or action, [he/she] might or might not do something with that knowledge…this is where imitation comes into play. Imitation is based on the idea that children, adolescents, and even adults observe the behavior of real-life and symbolic models, potentially leading to the reproduction of this behavior themselves (Howard & Hollander, 1997). Imitation is especially common if the modeled behavior “results in valued outcomes compared to unrewarding/punishing effects” (p.11).

Considering this, sexually explicit materials can portray images that suggest certain sexual acts as desirable or appropriate, making it difficult to discern which acts are acceptable or not acceptable in sexual situations with any partner (Turner, 2005). These different media portrayals (e.g., sexual content) can impact a person’s attitude and behaviors, hence making them sync with the different media content viewed.

“Sexually explicit material can offer numerous sexual attitudes to viewers, and that these beliefs may differ from those instilled in adolescents by their families and schools” (Owens, Behun, Manning, & Reid, 2012, p. 104). These types of differences can be due to increased sexual uncertainty because it is presumed that the more time adolescents view sexual content, the more likely that sexual uncertainty levels increase (Peter & Valkenburg, 2008).

Research finds that there is an association between exposure to sexually explicit materials and sexual attitudes, behaviors, and relationships (Bleakley, Fishbein, & Hennessy, 2011). However, it is not known whether specific sexual attitudes and behaviors in adolescents cause them to see unequivocal material, if the review of this material causes youngsters to have certain sexual states of mind and practices, or whether another trademark (e.g., poor drive control) causes adolescents to have certain sexual dispositions and practices and view sexually explicit material (Bleakley, Fishbein, & Hennessy, 2011).

Some characteristics associated with the use of sexually explicit materials concerning attitudes and beliefs are: unrealistic attitudes about sex and relationships, positive and more lenient attitudes about casual sex (Bieda, 2008). For example, teenagers viewing pornography might lead him/or her to have over-“glamorized” views of sexual activity and even might not feel comfortable with his/her partner thinking that he/she might not be “up to standards.” Concerning sexual behavior, studies are contradictory. Some researchers attribute sexually explicit material to risky behaviors such as anal, oral and group sex, imitation of pornography and using illegal substances (drugs) and alcohol during sexual encounters (Owens, Behun, Manning, & Reid, 2012), other studies find no associations (Luder et al., 2011). This study will investigate the associations, if any, and if these types of behaviors (e.g., viewing pornography) will spark a greater need to have sex at an early age.

To examine the hypotheses and research questions, a quantitative survey was administrated to adolescents from different schools (private and public) as well as different areas in Lebanon, such as sports clubs. The researchers attempted to get a probability sample, however the Ministry of Education in Lebanon refused to allow the researchers to disseminate the questionnaire within the schools, unless statements referring to sex be changed to “sexual reproduction.” This on its own speaks volumes specifically to the lack of support in the educational systems as well as the level of sensitivity and/or taboo sex seem to have in Lebanon. For that reason, the researchers were only able to reach 110 participants who started the survey, however only 84 completed it. This purposive sample was composed of males and females between 13 to 19 years of age (M = 17.35, SD = 1.64); 54.8% of participants were males and 45.2% were females. At the time they filled out the questionnaire, 33.3% were in a relationship and 66.7% were not in a current relationship.

Most adolescents, 77.4%, indicated that they never received sexual education from their parents. They prefer to turn to their friends to talk about sex, 65.5%; 29.8% won't engage in conversations, and 4.8% did not answer.

As for receiving formal sex education lessons in schools, 41.7% of the participants stated that they did have sex education lessons, 47.6% did not, and 10.7% cannot remember. When asked to select the type of sex education lessons they had: 7.1% of participants remembered their lessons to be about abstinence; only 23.8% stated that they learned something about STI; 17.9% of the participants specified that their lessons were about human development, relationships, interpersonal skills, and sexual expression; 16.7% recalled their lessons to be about general sexual health.

While 75% of adolescents have never had sex (sexual intercourse), 20.2% of adolescents did have sex, and 4.8% did not answer the question. When asked at what age did they first have sex, 75% did not answer, and out of the 25% of adolescents who answered, 8.3% had sex for the first time at the age of 16; the earliest age was 13, 1.2%.

Sex Education Lessons. Participants were asked if they had formal education lessons at school and if their parents provided them with knowledge about sex. Also measured was the type of sexual education information they learned about; as well as if they see a lack in sexual education and if it is important.

Talk to Someone. Participants were asked whether they talk to their friends about sex, also if they talk to their parents (beyond general information).

Online Activities. Participants were asked to select all the different types of activities in which they partake online, chat about sex, do sexting, flirt, seek a romantic partner, learn about sex, browse pornographic sites/material, and/or get general knowledge about what they hear about from friends and/or the media.

Viewing Pornography. This variable was measured by asking participants if they visited any pornographic website along with how old they were when they started looking at pornographic websites.

The following variables were measured using a Likert-type scale from "1 = strongly disagree" to "6 = strongly agree.”

Uses and Gratifications. Uses and gratification indicated whether participants use the internet to seek information about sexuality. The uses and gratifications scale was adapted from Cooper et al. (2003) which was initially divided into three parts: use of internet, to learn about sex, the body and how to have sex (α = .839, M = 4.667, SD = 1.212), for anonymous talk or lack of having others to talk with about sex (α = .755, M = 3.253, SD = 1.240), and sexual curiosity driven by self or partner (α = .760, M = 3.283, SD = 1.1875). For this study, a more wholesome approach was used and thus a mean composite score was computed for the total of 11 items (as all were measuring uses and gratifications). The 11 items included statements such as “I use the internet to get knowledge about how to have sex,” and “I use the internet because I don’t have others to talk about sex with offline” (α = .758, M = 3.649, SD = .835).

Attitudes. Based on the sexual information exposed to online this variable indicated whether there is influence on participants’ attitude; seven items formulated by the authors were included such as “I have unrealistic attitudes about sex” and “I think casual sexual relations with friends is positive” (α = .772, M = 2.956, SD = 1.017).

Behaviors. After looking up information online related to sex, this variable indicated whether there is influence on participants’ intended behaviors; five items created by the authors included “I would like to try some of the things I see,” and “I would like to experiment with my partner” (α = .740, M = 4.023, SD = 1.078).

Beliefs. After looking up information online related to sex, this variable indicated whether there is influence on participants’ beliefs; six items developed by the authors were used such as “I believe that you don’t have to wait until you get married to have sex” and “I believe that with protection I can have as much sex as I want” (α = .863, M = 3.717, SD = 1.274).

Fifty percent of adolescents confirmed that the lack of sexual education in schools influences them to use the internet to further their interest in sexuality by looking up sexual content/information online. Most adolescents, 47.6%, never had formal sex education lessons in schools, 41.7% of adolescents had formal sex education lessons in school, and 10.7% can’t remember; however, 78.6% of adolescents indicated that it is important to have sexual education as part of their school curriculum, 4.8% do not think it is important, and 16.7% don’t know if it is important to have sexual education as part of their school curriculum.

While 57.1% of participants did claim to often search for sex education online, 34.5% of adolescents often do. When asked if they ever searched online for the information about sexual health, 47.6% of adolescents’ answers was “Yes” and 47.6% answered “No.” Likewise, 46.4% of adolescents’ search for information online in order to learn more about issues such as STI and HIV: 31% of adolescents mentioned prevention, as the exact information they are interested to learn online when searching for information about STI/HIV, 16.7% mentioned transmission, 7.1% mentioned to be interested in simple meaning of STI and HIV, 23.8% of adolescents did not specify any kind of information and 4.8% is missing. 64.3% of adolescents are interested in sex education because as explained by the participants it is part of their lives, because they claimed it is important to be sexually educated and not learn stuff from social media, some for personal knowledge and precautions, because of not knowing anything about sex, to have right knowledge and understand about sex overall in order to not make mistakes and to prevent STIs.

Adolescents use the Internet to gratify their need when they do not want to talk about sex with others offline, when they do not have others to talk about sex offline, to be anonymous online, and/or when not dare to talk about certain sexual things offline (N = 77, M = 3.25, SD = 1.24). Adolescents also use the Internet to gratify their need for curiosity, by going online to become sexually aroused, because they are curious about sex, to compare themselves with others, and/or because their boyfriend/girlfriend want them to (N = 77, M = 3.28, SD = 1.18). The majority of adolescents however, agree that they use the Internet to gratify their need to know more about their own body, to find out if their body is functioning normally, and/or to get knowledge about how to have sex (N = 77, M = 4.66, SD = 1.21).

Further examination of the data was done to understand how much the main outcomes of attitude, behavior, and belief correlate with one another in relation to the topic studied. Pearson’s Correlation analysis indicated that there was a strong positive significant association between attitude and belief (r = .738, p < .05); however a moderate association in relation to attitude and indented behavior (r = .547, p < .05) and belief and behavior (r = .533, p < .05). This can indicate that, although participants might have favorable attitudes and beliefs about sex, they might be a bit reluctant to engage at their age, and/or to act out everything they search for online.

Hypotheses H1a-c were supported. Linear regression results indicated there was a significant positive relationship between the use of the internet to gratify adolescent’s needs for information about sexuality and influence on their attitudes with a 10.8% variance, behaviors accounting for 24.5% of the difference, and beliefs 22.1% of the total variance (Attitude: b = .400, SE = .133, r = .329, p < .05; Behaviors: b = .639, SE = .130, r = .495, p < .05; Beliefs: b = .718, SE = .156, r = .410, p < .05).

Chi-square analysis indicated that there was a significant statistical difference between participants who have had visited pornographic websites and engaging in sexual intercourse (χ² (1) = 9.812, p < .05). All participants who have had sex actually visited pornographic websites. However, among participants who did not have sex, 47.5% visited pornographic websites and 31.2% did not.

Out of all the participants who started viewing pornography between the ages of 9-12, 9.1% had sex, in other words, 26.3% within this age group had sex (73.7% did not); those who started viewing porn at 13-14, 12.7%, within this group 33.3% had sex (66.7% did not); and those who viewed porn at age 15-16, 9.1%, or 41.7% of this age group had sex (58.3% did not). 65.5% (n=55) of respondents said that they visit or have visited pornographic websites, 29.8% (n=25) answered they have not, and 4.8% (n=4) did not answer at all. Out of all the participants who responded to the question (what age did you start looking at pornographic websites), the average age summed to be 13.327. Other online sexual activities include: chatting about sex, flirting sexually, seeking a romantic partner, learning about sex, getting a general knowledge of the things heard from friends and/or media, and cybersex.

An independent t-test indicated that there was a significant difference between males and females in relation to the variables examined (attitude, behavior and belief). Males (Attitude: M = 3.355, Behavior: M = 4.391, Belief: M = 4.1765) are more likely to have attitudes, behaviors and beliefs more closely related to their online consumption than females (Attitude: M = 2.423, Behavior: M = 3.533, Belief: M = 4.1765) (Attitude: Welch’s t(73.415) = 4.538, p < .001); Behavior: Welch’s t (61.047) = 3.637, p < .01; Belief: Welch’s t(57.610) = 3.847, p < .001).

Also, in relation to whether they engage in other sexual activity and viewing of porn, chi-square analysis indicated a significant difference between the two genders (Other sexual activities: χ² = 5.216, p < .05; Viewing of Porn: χ² = 23.939, p < .001). Males are 3.876 more likely to engage in other sexual activity than females. Likewise, there are higher odds that males view pornography than females; meaning that males are 15.367 more likely to view pornographic material than females.

However, for whether they engage in sexual intercourse there is a marginal significance (χ² = 3.587, p = .058).

In terms of possible differences by religion, results did not indicate any significant difference among the religious groups nor between Christians and Muslims.

The focus of this study was to examine if Lebanese adolescents use the Internet to further their interest about sexuality and to evaluate the impact of the Internet on adolescents’ attitudes and intended behaviors. According to the uses and gratifications theory, adolescents are active in their selection of media they are turning to (e.g., the Internet) in order to be gratified by the messages explored (sexual content) (Bluemler and Katz, 1974). The questionnaire results indicate that the Internet has emerged to be the popular medium concerning sex education among Lebanese adolescents, since adolescents reported actively seeking sexual content online due to a lack of sexual education in schools.

According to the data of the family planning in Lebanon (2009) and the World Health Organization (2001), adolescents in Lebanon for the first time initiate sexual intercourse between ages 12 to 18. However, the majority does not have sexual education in school due to different religious oppositions.

From a cultural and religious perspective, sexual intercourse before marriage is considered a social taboo (Mehdi, 2003) and as a whole, the Middle East has strict values limiting the behavior to “state-registered, family-approved, religiously sanctioned matrimony” (Feki, 2013, p. 8). A topic of such significance and impacting the lives of young adolescents throughout their lives should not be labeled as taboo, especially not in an educational setting in which curiosities are fed with accurate information to become informed individuals in society. Thus, adolescents might feel suppressed when trying to understand natural changing occurrences in their body, and they are not being properly educated, thus resorting to information that is easily accessible via the Internet (e.g., 92.9% of participants say that it is easy to access the internet concerning information), yet knowingly (e.g., 87.5% of participants think not everything online about sex is true) not all information is 100% accurate.

Adolescents are relying predominately on friends and the Internet rather than schools (because of lack of education) and even parents (because it might be awkward). As in accordance with the results, the majority of Lebanese adolescents who participated in this study do not rely on parents or schools, but they do gravitated towards the Internet. The majority of adolescents (86.7%) never talked about sex to their parents, nor did they ever receive sexual education from their parents. Friends are the ones with whom adolescents talk about sex (e.g., 68.8% talk to their friends about sex), share the sex information found online, and also share specific websites of mutual interest, where perhaps the majority of the information they know is coming from and later shared.

After looking up the information online related to sex, adolescents would like to be in a relationship and experiment with their partner (e.g., 75.4%), they would like to tell their friends about negative consequences as well as positive aspects (68.9%), and they would like to know more about sex overall (70.5%). This is alarming because although they understand that not everything online is true, their curiosities drive them to act upon what they have seen/read (65%). The problem with this is the fact that not everything online is true and an adolescent who seeks factual information or is curious about his/her body is willing to try, thus verifying this "information" by doing, in some cases it can end up hurting the person mentally or physically. This is a call for the need to have a strong sexual education program in schools in which these matters are discussed openly with the students. According to Boonstra (2011), there is strong evidence of positive impact on behavior from evaluations of comprehensive sexuality education programs throughout the world. The majority of all the programs increased adolescents’ knowledge, and two thirds had a positive impact on individuals. In general, with proper sex education in schools adolescents could compare information they learned in class and information they are exposed to online, and that would be a major move forward in understanding right from wrong, and whether information can be trusted (Boonstra, 2011). Adolescents are then left to look up information online or by trying and these methods are not always the healthiest or most accurate approach; hence can cause harm (Ragab & Mahmoud, 2006).

According to the social learning theory viewing sexually explicit materials can turn into a problem concerning adolescents. Results from this study indicated that there is an association with their attitudes based on the information participants are exposed to online and the reasons they use the Internet to gratify their needs. So, they may have unrealistic attitudes about sex and relationships as they may be unable to differentiate between fantasy and reality. Although there was a relationship, the majority of participants did not agree that their attitudes are consistent with information they see online (62.4% did not agree); or that the participants did not want to admit that they have consistent attitude, but nevertheless results do indicate that there was a significant association with uses and gratifications of usage. They think casual sexual relations with friends is ordinary, and that friends with benefits is regular. They think having multiple sexual partners is good, and/or they are often preoccupied about sex. These attitudes consistent with online exposure are also related to their needs of using the medium, Internet, to gratify their needs/wants. Yet, these are somewhat startling attitude shifts (shifts from their preconceived family and society notions), especially that participants who already had sex claimed that they were not ready to have sex or that they are doubtful if they were ready or not (e.g., 36.3% were not ready, 33.8% don’t know); hence probably due to misguided information they have received from their primary sex education source - the Internet. The point is not the idea that adolescents will stop using the Internet to gratify basic needs, but the idea is to empower them well before they search and even during the times of their search.

Adolescents recognize that it is important to have sexual education as part of their school curriculum and they expressed the interest and need in having sexual education in schools. The adolescents (at least in this study) are expressing their wants and needs and not against education; then one can only wonder why the resistance from private and public schools. Perhaps it is the resistance that is experienced from those responsible for the schools and public organizations that is leaving Lebanese school kids without proper sexual guidance. The children are aware of this need for guided information and have expressed interest in getting the information. The refusal to approach the subject of sexuality by certain schools or public organizations comes out as an issue with bigger implications. Informing students of their sexuality seems to threaten the religiously dedicated in a country where religion is part and parcel of the political power and is inseparably tied to it. An example, from the authors’ experience in relation to this research is when the Ministry of Education of Lebanon asked, through a formal letter, to replace sexual activity with sexual reproduction in the questionnaire, in order to be approved for an academic scientific study. The students, according to this study, know a lot more than what they are being taught, thus it is no longer a subject that should be hidden or conserved from them. Again, there is a dire need to educate them about such matters, outside of the "pure" biological sense, especially since sexuality is part of human nature.

Adolescents use the Internet to gain sex education knowledge about different issues, including STI and HIV. While most of them are interested to know more about prevention and/or transmission, there are adolescents who are in need to know the simple meaning of STI and HIV (e.g., 53% do not know what STI/STD is/are), since even though some parents mention those infections, and even if the topic is covered in school, they still do not explain it in the simplified way so that its totally clear to adolescents. Although the majority of adolescent have never had sex education in their schools, they are interested in knowing more about sex health issues, and they do recognize the importance of sexual education. From the results of this research, the majority of adolescents are more likely to rely on the Internet, lack sex education in schools and do not talk to their parents about such matters, thus a longer chain of misguided and misinformed young adults is created. Even those who discuss with their friends - one is left to question where are their friends receiving this type of information - one then can postulate the reoccurring thematic answer - the Internet. This is another very important reason why sex education needs to be and should be conducted in schools, as well as a call for politicians, religious leaders and educators to all be onboard before a ship filled with insecurities and inaccuracies of such a grave topic that has lifelong effects sinks further. Hence, “when responsible adults communicate about sexual health topics with adolescents, there is evidence of delayed sexual initiation and increased birth control and condom use” (Yoost, Ruley, & Durfee, 2021, p. 5).

“As long as they have protected sex they can have sex as much as they want” is not a true statement, because according to the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control the only way to prevent STIs/STDs is to not have sex. Since not having sex is not seen as realistic, there are certain precautions one should know before, during and after partaking in sexual activity that can help a person lower the risks of catching any infections.

Programs at schools can definitely highlight not only the meanings, the risks involved, as well as how difficult it might be to cure someone with an STI/STD. Showing graphic pictures that are tagged along to discussion might be powerful especially since online exposure is also coupled with graphical representations. Educational systems along with entertainment-education programs have the ability to empower by fusing with knowledge; knowledge that young vulnerable/curious teenagers depend on in order to make decisions about themselves which can at the very least effect one other person or a whole community.

The websites adolescents visit with sex information are not limited to sexually transmitted diseases or "how to," and/or biological anatomy, they also include pornographic sites. The results showed that from all the participants who answered (n = 62), when asked to specify the websites they visit with sex information the majority named only pornographic websites (e.g., www.redtube.com, www.xnxx.com, www.pornhub.com, www.youporn.com, www.xcum.com). Only one participant included www.webMD.com as another sex information site and described it “as the leading source for trustworthy and timely health and medical news and information;” and one other included www.teachingsexualhealth.ca.

Finding pornography on the Internet is easy, and it just takes typing the word “sex” in any search engine. According to the results, adolescents start visiting pornographic websites as early as of age 9, and they have unlimited and free of charge access to all of the websites mentioned above. “Pornography gives adolescents unrealistic expectations about sex. Pornography does not give certain information about human anatomy, sexually transmitted infections or successful relationships” (FAQ: Pornography, n. d.), so it is very important for adolescents to learn about sexual activity in schools or from parents in order to not let inaccurate information, they are exposed to dictate their views, paths and choices in life, especially those concerning relationships and sexual health.

In addition, one of the concerns with pornography is that the “unrealistic” portrayals sometimes have negative impacts on the viewers, such as feeling embarrassed of one’s own body, adding pressure during sexual encounters between partners, not feeling that they can perform “as good” thus resulting in risks to one’s health and even potentially not safeguarding society as a whole from the harms of pornographic material (Wright, 2018). Its existence, whether negative or positive outcomes from its use emerge, highlights further the need to incorporate proper and updated sex education in schools for adolescents, especially since like any other media content, pornography might socialize viewers in different directions and for youth more so negative than positive (Wright, 2018).

The online access to pornographic material drives an increase in exploration and the potential to get even more sexually active whenever there is an opportunity, perhaps further promoting behaviors and leading to consequences (e.g., teen pregnancies and parenthood, sexually transmitted diseases, anorexia, bulimia, social and psychological effects, and reconstruction surgeries). Exploration is a natural process of growing up as adults; however, exploration needs to be fueled with the right toolbox to make mature decisions.