PEJ New Media Index: Social Media Leads with Sex and Love

During a week when the mainstream press was consumed with issues of terrorism and national security, the online community wrapped itself up in sex and dating.

A BBC report about a scientific sex study, along with controversial actions taken by a selective online dating site, spurred reaction from people in the blogosphere and in social media. It was an example of how the less restricted and more personal nature of social media can facilitate a conversation unlikely to occur in traditional media.

From January 4-8, 16% of the news links in blogs were about a sex study conducted by researchers at King's College in London, according to the New Media Index from the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. (The study claimed that the "elusive" female erogenous zone commonly referred to as the "G-spot" may be nothing more than a myth.)

The reactions from bloggers were immediate and ranged from criticisms of the research, to sharing of personal experiences to attempts at (sometimes off-color) humor.

Read the full report Social Media Leads with Sex and Love on the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism Web site.

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Quick View

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Article

37 Scientists Pioneering the Future of Biomedical Research

Quick View
Article

Biomedical researchers are at the heart of nearly every medical advancement. From cutting-edge cancer treatments to breakthrough discoveries about emerging viruses, these scientists use creativity and ingenuity to explore new horizons in human health and medicine. And for nearly 40 years, The Pew Charitable Trusts has supported more than 1,000 early-career researchers committed to this work.

Composite image of modern city network communication concept

Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

Sign up for our four-week email course on Broadband Basics

Quick View

How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?