NATION B BIG ON ‘ 4PLAY’

74% love to sext

The joy of sext! Sexting is now a normal part of relationships, according to a massive new study of sex and tech that found 74 percent of Americans exchange saucy electronic messages with their lovers.

“Sexting may be becoming a new, but typical, step in a sexual or romantic relationship,” said Amanda Gesselman, a research scientist at Indiana University’s Kinsey Institute, which performed the study with Berlin-based women’s health startup Clue.

Researchers surveyed more than 140,000 people from 198 countries about the role of tech in their sex lives and found Americans are some of the most prolific sexters on the planet — second only to South Africans.

Japanese and South Koreans are the least likely to trade racy missives, and the renowned lovers in France and Italy also prefer more traditional romance: Only 54 percent of respondents in both countries sext, which is below the worldwide average of 67 percent.

That global figure is a staggering increase from just five years ago, when only 21 percent said they engaged in the practice.

“This increase and this large of a proportion of re- spondents suggest that incorporating tech into our private lives may be becoming normal,” Gesselman said.

An old-school text message is the most common way for adults to transmit their salacious thoughts and images, with 65 percent of Americans saying they’ve sent sexy SMSs, while only 38 percent used Snapchat.

But the researchers found younger respondents were more likely to use the photo-sending social-media service, and the study didn’t query anyone under 18.

The study also revealed that a third of Americans have used an app like Tinder to find a date or score — but more say they’re looking for a relationship than a one-night stand.

Thirty-six percent said they used apps to find longor short-term relationships, while only 20 percent were seeking to satisfy their carnal desires.

Swedes are the most plugged-in when it comes to online dating, with 46 percent saying they’ve used a dating app. They’re also the most likely to use an app for a one-night stand.

Russians appear to be Luddite lovers, with only 3 percent reporting that they’ve used an app for a hookup.