Hipersexualización infantil en medios de comunicación: consecuencias en el desarrollo integral de la primera infancia

Abstract

The present work is a monographic study that aims to analyze the effects of hypersexualization on the integral development of early childhood, as influenced by the media. This research is conducted using a qualitative approach. Accordingly, a bibliographic review was carried out to gather relevant information explaining the relationship between hypersexualization and the media. The results show that the media are, in fact, the main promoters of child hypersexualization. Unfortunately, this practice is often used to increase viewership, marketing appeal, exposure, and other metrics—while disregarding the need for child protection. Despite existing regulations and restrictions intended to prevent such practices, it has been shown that most media outlets fail to fully comply with them. This raises serious concerns, as industries, platforms, and various forms of media frequently exploit the innocent image of children, as well as characters designed to capture their attention, not in a harmless way, but through sexualized representations that reflect harmful and misguided beauty standards. Moreover, this exposure can negatively impact children’s overall development, particularly in the emotional domain, leading to issues such as anxiety, low self- esteem, and distorted self-image. These concerns are evident in reality shows featuring minors, advertising, video games, toys, and many other examples.