Sex Tech News: Sculpture of 100 Vibrators, Phil Harvey Dies, & Facebook’s New ‘Personal Boundary’ Tool
More on sex tech’s “failed promises” and the move into the disability market.
“Given that the toy has long sparked creativity from its users, Vibratex — the only North American importer of Magic Wand — decided to hold a contest aptly called “Pleasure As Art.” The winner, Miami-based artist Dafne Blade, designed and crafted a sculpture made of over 100 decommissioned wands that’s not only stunning, but evocative of Game of Thrones.”
(Anna Iovine/Mashable)
“Mr. Harvey, who used his fortune to support sexual- and reproductive-health programs overseas as a philanthropist, died Dec. 2 at his home in Cabin John, Md. He was 83. The cause was a heart attack, said his wife, Harriet Lesser.
“Eloquent, Harvard-educated and favoring Hush Puppies shoes, Mr. Harvey did not fit the stereotypical image of a sex merchant. He positioned himself as a defender of civil liberties after government prosecutors tried to jail him and close his adult novelty business in the 1980s.”
(via Louie Estrada/The Washington Post)I wrote about sex tech and disability for @wsj.
Thank you @andrewgurza_ , @DrDavidLey, @TabithaErotica @HotOctopuss for talking to me!https://t.co/2Rtopahgve
— Hallie Lieberman (@hallielieberman) February 5, 2022
“Mitchell Tepper has a motto: ‘You don’t have to break your neck to be a great lover, but you could learn a lot from somebody who has.’”
“Habitual use of Replika bots for abusive purposes underscores how the anonymity of a computer fosters toxicity—an especially concerning phenomenon as virtual reality spaces like the Metaverse promise us the world. In spaces where people interact as avatars of themselves, this can make them feel that those with whom they interact aren’t human, turning VR into a breeding ground for sexual misconduct and virtual sexual assault.”
(via Kylie Cheung/Jezebel)“Sex tech can work wonders, but even the Magic Wand isn’t actually magic. There’s no one product that’s going to work for everyone; no simple piece of tech that’s going to transform a sex act you’re uncomfortable with into one you’re excited about. Living your best sex life involves patience, trial and error, and a willingness to listen to your body and respect its needs. Tech can absolutely play a part in that—especially low-cost ‘beginner’ toys that help you understand your likes and dislikes—but even the costliest vibrator can’t magically induce a mind-blowing orgasm at the push of a button.
“IT’S NOT HARD to understand why so many companies are given to such grandiose claims about the merits of their products”
(via Lux Alprtaum/Wired)
“One of the test users of Facebook’s new virtual universe, Patel claimed that as soon as she entered the programme, she was gang-raped by men. On Friday, Facebook’s parent Meta Platforms said it is launching a tool for people using its virtual reality social platforms to maintain personal space boundaries, as concerns have mounted about user safety and sexual harassment.
“Its new ‘personal boundary’ tool will make users feel like they have nearly 1.2 metres between their virtual avatar and others when they access the immersive Horizon Worlds and Horizon Venues apps through VR headsets.”
(via Euronews and Reuters)
