Future of Sex
tagline
  • Remote Sex
  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment
  • Robots
  • Human Augmentation
  • Sex Tech
  • Dating & Relationships
  • Bizarre Bazaar 18+
  • Future of Sex Community
  • Remote Sex
  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment
  • Robots
  • Human Augmentation
  • Sex Tech
  • Dating & Relationships
  • Bizarre Bazaar 18+
  • Future of Sex Community
  • Lovense Partners with Audiodesires Erotica Platform to Enable Multi-sensory Pleasure

  • News on International Congress on Love and Sex with Robots

  • Pleasure and Consent in Sex in Space

  • Sex Tech Mixers, Hackathons & Conferences [UPDATED]

  • Sex in the Metaverse: A New Space with Old Problems

  • 5 Social Media Accounts Helping People Grow Past Fundamentalism

  • How Dating Apps Can Do Better For Non-Binary Users

  • How embracing my ADHD led to better orgasms

Future of Sex is supported by our readers. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Home > Sex Tech > Consent Apps Are Just Ridiculous

Sex Tech
Home›Sex Tech›Consent Apps Are Just Ridiculous

Consent Apps Are Just Ridiculous

By Jenna Owsianik, Editor-in-Chief of FutureofSex.net
March 16, 2018
2272
3

Why we need to be talking about pleasurable sexual experiences instead.

A blonde woman looks annoyed and has steam coming out of her ears.

It is true society needs some sorting out when it comes to consent. The rise of the #metoo movement shows that we’re long overdue for a serious cultural shift and some frank discussion about sexual boundaries.

But that doesn’t mean technology should take over and become the arbiters of consensual sex. In fact, I’d say our poor track record is a good argument against us handing over the responsibility.

How can we develop or train software if we as a society aren’t taught consent in a sex-positive and educational setting? Why in sex ed wasn't I taught that sex should feel pleasurable for myself and for my partners?

Nevertheless, consent apps keep popping up as so-called solutions to tackling sexual assault. A new one called LegaFling aims to track permission and sexual limits using blockchain. The company says it also allows fluctuating consent, meaning you can say no or stop a sex act you may no longer want to partake in.

I’m not the only person who isn’t convinced. In an article for The New York Times, relationship and technology expert Dr. Michelle Drouin said she doesn’t think apps can solve what is essentially a human problem:

[box type=”shadow”]

The requirement to interact with an app during a sexual encounter is “completely unrealistic,” she said.

“It would be very awkward within the context of an intimate encounter to be like, ‘Wait a second, I’m changing my mind on the app and also with you,’” she said.

More important, she said, the app could persuade someone to fulfill acts simply because they agreed to them in advance, or to overcommit in an effort to appear more sexually adventurous.

[/box]

Instead, what we need to do is start talking about sex in a way that acknowledges degrees of pleasure and comfort. This includes recognizing pleasure or discomfort in ourselves as well as in our partners.

The reason The New Yorker's “Cat Person” essay and the poorly reported Babe article on Aziz Ansari drew so much attention is that so many women could relate. They had felt noticeably uncomfortable during a sexual encounter, but their partners clearly didn't register it or care about their pleasure. They also felt like they couldn't easily end the encounters.

Not rape, but clearly we can all do better in making sex more enjoyable by talking about these unpleasant and all-too-frequent encounters. If the focus is on mutual pleasure rather than tapping a screen, the human race will be much better off.

And lastly, if you think all this talk about consent is a mood killer then you are just plain wrong! Listen to how a sex worker negotiates consent, and makes it sexy, over at CBC.

This pro seriously knows how to make consent sexy. Some version of this needs to be part of sex ed. #consent https://t.co/1zoYOSOJ7M

— Jenna Owsianik (@JennaOw) November 8, 2017

Jenna Owsianik

Jenna Owsianik is a Canadian journalist and sex tech expert. Since 2014 she has been Editor-in-Chief of FutureofSex.net, the world’s leading publication on how technology is changing human sexuality, today and tomorrow.

Jenna is the primary author of the Future of Sex Report (2016).

Her expertise covers state-of-the-art sex technologies and the major fields driving innovations in intimacy: robotics, virtual reality, remote sex (teledildonics), immersive adult entertainment, human augmentation, virtual sex, and sexual health.

A trained journalist with a Masters of Journalism from The University of British Columbia, Jenna’s reporting has appeared on Futurism.com, Al Jazeera English, CTV British Columbia online, CBS Sunday Morning, CBS 60 Minutes, Global News, and CKNW Radio in Canada and the United States.

As a sex tech industry consultant, she is especially passionate about helping companies deliver accessible services and products to people with disabilities and other underserved communities.

Jenna also runs the sites SexforEveryBody.com, a sex-positive, body-positive online magazine that promotes inclusive sex education; and DisabledSexGuide.com, an adult resource on sex, disability, and erotica.

In 2013, Jenna won two Canadian Online Publishing Awards for her work on The Pain Project, a multimedia site on global access to palliative care.

She won second place at the 2011 Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism’s Public Health category for her participation in the documentary Freedom From Pain.

Jenna has an Honors BA in Women’s Studies and Feminist Research as well as a French minor from The University of Western Ontario. She spent a year studying at L’Université Lumière Lyon 2 in Lyon, France.
Previous Article

xHamster Set to Expand into Sexbot Market ...

Next Article

Virtually Perfect: A Review of the LoveBotz ...

Related articles More from author

  • Sex Tech

    ‘Approved, Not Approved’ Protests Blatant Sexism Against Women’s Sex Tech Advertising

    August 24, 2019
    By M. Christian
  • Deepfake Technology
    RobotsSex Tech

    Celebs Aren’t Alone, Adult Performers Are Harmed by Deepfake Tech Too

    January 19, 2020
    By Sarah Paigee
  • RobotsSex Tech

    Will You Support This Oral Sex Robot on Indiegogo?

    May 8, 2017
    By M. Christian
  • Webcam Model
    Remote SexSex TechVirtual Sex & Entertainment

    Why I Want You to Call Me a Camgirl Online

    April 16, 2019
    By Libby
  • Lovehoney group logo
    Sex Tech

    WOW Tech Group and Lovehoney Merge, Forecast $400m in 2021 Revenue

    August 13, 2021
    By Jenna Owsianik, Editor-in-Chief of FutureofSex.net
  • Have In-Car Sex
    RobotsSex Tech

    The Automoblow Lets You Upgrade Your Tesla to Give Robot Blowjobs

    August 13, 2020
    By M. Christian

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • Sex toys in a bag.
    Remote Sex

    Predicting the Day Remote Sex Is As ‘Normal As Owning a Smartwatch’

  • Robots

    How to Build a Robot Sex Worker

  • Screenshot of LuxBotics Robot robot prototype movement testing
    Robots

    Lux Botics Founder on the Lighter, Sexually Autonomous Sexbots of the Future

Virtual Lust is a 3D interactive sex game.
3DXChat
Discover the best virtual sex parties and 3D sex worlds.
  • TOP REVIEWS

  • Realistic Sex Games

    Review of the Best Sex Games and Most Realistic Sex Simulators of 2021 [UPDATED]

    0
  • Multiplayer Online Sex Games

    Review of the Best Massively Multiplayer Online Sex Games

    0
  • Sex Games for Mac

    The Best Sex Games for Mac

    0
  • foot-fetish-sex-games-girlvania

    Foot Fetish Games That Will Knock Your Socks Off

    0
  • The Best RPG Sex Games of 2021

    0
Fantasy sex game Dream Sex World lets you explore your wildest desires.
Multiplayer sex world Red Light Center continues to impress with its massive userbase and incredible sex graphics.
A blonde and light-skinned love doll face sppears next to the text Go now realdollxthe future is real.
  • 27KFollowers

Like Us on Facebook

Newsletter Subscription

Sign up for our monthly newsletter sharing the very best of the future of sex from our publication and others across the web.

DreamSexWorld offers a stunning XXX 3D world filled with incredibly interactive erotic experiences.

Like Us On Facebook

Facebook Pagelike Widget

RLC_ad_v2

Tweets by @FutureofSex
Future of Sex Report

Follow us

  • Home
  • About
  • ADVERTISE
  • Contribute
  • Story Ideas?
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2011 - 2022 Future Exploration Network
This website or its third-party tools use cookies to improve user experience and track affiliate sales. To learn more about why we need to use cookies, please refer to the Privacy Policy.

By clicking the agree button or continuing to browse through the website, you agree to the use of cookies. Accept Privacy Policy
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT