WhatsApp sex is known as “sexting” , a practice of sending sexually suggestive or explicit messages or images via mobile phones. Although sexting is a more global concept and can be carried out by other social networks (e.g. Facebook), sex by WhatsApp has the same advantages and disadvantages as this practice.

An increasingly common type of sexting

Sex by WhatsApp may seem like a fad practiced only by young people; however, studies show that adults also practice sexting.

As stated in research conducted by the Laboratory of Women’s Health Psychology at Drexler University, the use of this practice is increasingly used and is not only restricted to singles, but couples also resort to it.

This study involved 870 American subjects aged 18-82 years and the results were presented at the 123rd Annual Convention of the American Psychological Society in Toronto. Eighty-eight per cent of the respondents admitted to having practiced sexting at some time in their lives, and 82 per cent in the past year. Seventy-five percent of the participants said they had practiced it as a couple and 47% of the subjects had not been in a relationship.

A risky practice?

Many people may think this is a risky practice, and it certainly has its dangers considering how dubious the privacy offered by these services is. However, surveys indicate that risk behaviour is not the objective or the perception of people who use sex by WhatsApp, unlike other sexual practices such as outdoor sex.

According to one group of respondents, is more of a courtship practice . At least that indicates a research from the University of Michigan (USA), which counted a sample of 3,447 subjects. Some experts have expressed their opinion on the matter, such as the psychologist Pascual García Senderos, who states that “the appearance of technology in people’s lives provokes this type of sexual practice”.

Benefits of Sex by WhatsApp

It is common for WhatsApp sex to be considered a negative practice; however, there are a number of reasons for doing so. They are as follows:

1. Have better sex

WhatsApp sex is often associated with those who have little sex, but as I mentioned, many individuals use this practice within their couple. Some studies, for example Drexel University in the United States, claim that those relationships that use sexting have better sex, in the sense that it is a practice that adds to the overall sex life, while enriching it.

2. Increased partner satisfaction

The same study also seems to indicate that those couples who use sexting also enjoy greater satisfaction and well-being when they are together. This could be because these couples enjoy greater intimacy and confidence to carry out this practice.

3. Distance

One of the great advantages of this type of sex is that it is possible to practice it at a distance , just like other forms of cybersex. If the couple lives far away, it is possible to be in contact at any time or place, let your imagination run wild and enjoy sex by WhatsApp.

4. For the heating

And the possibility of practicing it at any time and place also makes it ideal for those moments when the desire is tight and one wants to have intimate contact with another person but for some reason it is not possible. Sex by WhatsApp should be practiced always when you have confidence with the other person to avoid the negative consequences of its use.

5. Makes sexual practice different and fun

This practice can increase desire and be ideal as a preliminary to physical contact , as it is ideal for anticipation and for the imagination to play its part. This happens because it stimulates the brain and causes us to release chemicals related to sexual attraction and desire before we have the other person in front of us. It can be a fun sex game.

Disadvantages of having sex in this app

Sex by WhatsApp should be practiced with caution, as it has its risks . The negative consequences of practising it are:

1. Loss of control of what we share

This practice should be carried out with those people we trust and who we know will not use the content we send them for anything other than just sexting with us. When we sex up WhatsApp, the content we share may fall into the hands of other individuals , who may make unauthorized use of it.

2. Extortion cases

If these images fall into unwanted hands, we can suffer extortion and even other phenomena such as cyberbullying.

3. Can go viral

One of the biggest fears of sex by WhatsApp is that it will go viral . This type of content could be published on sex portals or shared on social networks by someone who knows the content.

4. Ethical and legal issues

Sexually explicit text messages, videos or photos could be considered sexual harassment if the person receiving them does not want it . It may also be that the person we have sexted with intends to derive some financial benefit from it. Therefore, before sexting, it is necessary to know the other person thoroughly.

5. Psychological problems

These adverse situations can lead to psychological problems and great discomfort. Negative effects on self-esteem, depression, or anxiety can be common when some of the disadvantages of sex by WhatsApp occur.