A Focus Group Investigation of Internet Usage Perception and Correlation Between Internet Pornography and the Incidence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria

Abstract

The upsurge in the use of the information and communication technology (ICT) facilities such the Global System forMobile Communication (GSM) and the Internet for criminal activities like spamming, credit card frauds, sex crimes,phishing and a host of others lends credence to the view that ICT is contributing to moral and social decadence. Concern isreinforced by the increase in the level of ICT penetration in the Nigerian society and Africa at large. ICT products continueto allow increasing access to spurious web contents such as pornography and violence. Some schools of thoughts alreadyposited that exposure of internet users to web pornography might contribute to the increase in the incidence of HIV/AIDS(Emeozor 2005, Katherine, 2006, Adebayo et al, 2006). Using a self-constructed questionnaire titled: Focus Groupsperception of Internet-Induced HIV/AIDS Incidences in Nigeria we solicited responses on the perceived relationshipbetween internet pornography and the possible increase in the incidence of HIV/AIDS as well as the effectiveness of currentdeterrents adopted against web pornography in Southwestern Nigeria. Findings from the analysis of collected data using chisquare-analysis, regression and other descriptive measures showed that internet pornography will likely lead to possibleincrease in the incidence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. Content channeling technology is also adjudged to be a better predictorfor reduction in web-pornography induced incidences of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria than Public enlightenment on sex education,parental guidance and web content filters. Recommendations were made based on our findings.Keywords: Pornography, Sexualities, Children, HIV/AIDS, Adolescents, Nigeria, Internet, Youths, CP80, Education