Digital intimacy, condom innovation, new research and insights in sextech

👋 HEY ALL!

I've spent the past week exploring South Korea and Mexico while gearing up for next week at Collision Conf. The theme of the trip has been digital intimacy; the good and the bad.

During my travels, I came across some eye-opening research released by RMIT regarding digital sex crimes in both these countries.

Alarming rates of sextortion in South Korea, Mexico, Australia and the USA were highlighted as among the worst in the world in a survey released this week (included below).

Alongside this concerning trend, there's a growing phenomenon of young men spending tens of thousands of dollars monthly on AI companions.

The ability to customize every interaction with your digital companion, including purchasing specific images for just a few dollars each—reminds me of the days when kids ran up their parents' credit card bills on those steamy 1800 lines. But with far more dire consequences.

All of this raises obvious questions about technology's impact on future relationship dynamics, and expectations.

I'm looking forward to discussing this at Collision next week.

We need more conversations about the evolving landscape of human-human and human-AI relationships and how we shape the future ahead. Let's not keep ourselves in the dark until it's too late...

Read on for:

🔥 this week in sextech

💼 job openings

🎪 community events

📚 new reads

— Bryony

🔥 THIS WEEK IN SEXTECH

• 🔒 New study: 1 in 7 adults threatened with sextortion

• 🎉 Condom Innovation

• 🤖 AI's Rise: Addressing Loneliness or Amplifying Isolation?

• 📵 Rethinking Age Verification in Porn Access

🔒 New study: 1 in 7 adults threatened with sextortion

A global study by RMIT University and Google found that 14.5% of adults have been victims of sextortion, with higher rates among LGBTQ+ individuals, men, and younger people. Current or former partners are the most common perpetrators.

Key findings:

• High Prevalence of Victimization: 14.5% of surveyed adults globally reported being victims of sextortion, with the highest rates observed in the USA, Australia, Mexico, and South Korea.

• Victim-Perpetrator Overlap: A significant 85.2% of perpetrators also reported being victims at some point, highlighting a cyclical nature of this abuse, particularly notable in South Korean women, where 15.2% reported experiences as both victims and perpetrators.

• Common Perpetrators: Current or former partners are the most frequent perpetrators of sextortion, often using threats to share intimate images to manipulate and control their victims.

🎉 Skyn's Luxurious Condom Launch: Marketing Masterstroke or Genuine Innovation?

What is a high-end condom exactly?

This week, Skyn announced the release of a new luxury condom that typically retails for $100 per box but was offered at an introductory price of $10 per box, selling out in just 24 hours.

Marketed as featuring the "world’s thinnest polyisoprene" for a sensation closest to skin-on-skin contact, these condoms have certainly grabbed attention.

I'm still debating whether this success was due to a brilliant marketing campaign (considering the average condom costs around $1) and if they will ever manage to sell a pack of 10 for $100, velvet box or not. 🤔

Condom packaging has long remained unchanged, with companies resting on high margins. However, there are numerous ways packaging could be improved for the user: enhanced accessibility, better designs for opening in the dark, and more discreet options than the typical square in your back pocket.

It's refreshing to see Founder Jiwon Park create something sleek and purse-friendly, advancing both functionality and aesthetics for SAIB & Co.

A real highlight of my trip to meet Jiwon in person 👇

🤖 AI's Rise: Addressing Loneliness or Amplifying Isolation?

This morning, I had a fascinating conversation with Yudara Kularathne MD, FAMS(EM) about his research illustrating AI's ability to manipulate our emotions.

AI can discern our emotional states and adjust its responses accordingly, based off our texts.

What stood out to me is how this marks a significant escalation in the attention economy.

Most of us are all too familiar with technology altering our dopamine responses through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, which capture our attention.

From what I'm learning, AI's influence on our attention (and consequentially, behaviour and ideas) will be more subtle; gradual changes through learning us over time. Unlike scrolling on Instagram, where we've all had a moment of pause and thought "this is definitely manipulating my dopamine/perspective", AI's influence will ultimately evade our perception.

Some of the hallmarks of emotional abuse could easily slip in to technology.

I'm mostly an optimist and am aware there is no turning back the clock. So as AI evolves, the critical question persists: what problems will AI solve? Where and how do we make boundaries when AI acts like a friend, therapist, co-worker and lover?

A recent NYT opinion piece argues that relying on AI as a substitute for human interaction ignores the true nature of loneliness and the indispensable need for genuine human connection.

Yet, as we continue to neglect human interaction (as in the case of this article, the example of lonely, elderly folks) AI seems to offer an increasingly acceptable alternative...

📵 Rethinking Age Verification in Porn Access

A thought-provoking piece on Australia's push for age verification tech in porn access went out this week. Age-verification tech is not limited to Australia, but this is a super interesting angle to think about how we might solve or make worse social issues like gendered violence, and social media addiction.

The article (and associated study) explores the effectiveness and biases of these technologies, arguing for better approaches to supporting healthy sexual development. Definitely worth a read 👇

Link to the study:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20539517241252129

💼 HOT JOBS

🇺🇸 Senior Program Manager, Tinder [$146-175k]

🇺🇸 Director of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Education, Virginia Tech [$130-140k]

🇺🇸 Education Manager, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York [$50-57k]

🇬🇧 Digital Marketing Intern, minthub [Apply]

🇩🇪 French SEO Intern / Working Student, femtasy / Pink Internet GmbH [Apply here]

🇩🇪 Product Manager, Growth, femtasy / Pink Internet GmbH [Apply here]

🇩🇪 Growth CRM and Automation Lead, Kranus Health [Apply here]

🇩🇪 Area Sales Representative, Kranus Health [Apply here]

🇪🇸 Sexologist, Platanomelón [Apply here]

🎪 EVENTS

🇺🇸 June 12-15, Missouri USA, AASECT 2024 Annual Conference American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) [RSVP]

🇨🇦 June 17-20, Toronto, 'Would you still love me if I was a chatbot?' Collision Conf with Bryony Cole (that's me!), Yuliya Sotska, Grindr's AJ Balance

💻 June 20, Online, Sextech School Info Session [RSVP]

💻 June 27, 6pm CET Online, A Guide to Pitching Sex Topics to Journalists & Media, Sx Tech [RSVP]

🇦🇺 June 28, Astor Theatre, Erotic Cinema Club, by High Tide [see this post and more showing details HERE]

🇩🇪 July 22-25, Berlin, Germany at the Leonardo Royal Hotel Berlin Alexanderplatz, IASR’s 50th Annual Meeting, IASR [RSVP]

📚 NEW READS

Indie Porn: Revolution, Regulation and Resistance by Dr Zahra Stardust

Dr Zahra Stardust delves into the world of indie porn, exploring how producers navigate legal challenges, platform restrictions, discriminatory algorithms, and piracy. As both performer and researcher, Stardust offers insider perspectives, revealing political figures consuming porn, activists protesting with face-sitting demonstrations, and sex workers adapting to COVID-safe practices.

Officially in bookstores in October, but available for pre-sale, and there's a 30% discount when ordered from Duke University Press by using code E24STRDT

That’s a wrap for this week.

— Bryony

Curious about what goes on at Sextech School?

Our current cohort are kicking butts and building their networks and careers! (Check out our Instagram) 👀

As the first and only pre-accelerator for anyone looking to join the industry, Sextech School is the go-to for many founders and professionals looking to break into the sector.

Our next cohort opens in September... get in early and apply here.

(I'll personally review your application and you can meet 1-1 with our Head of Programs Clare Carmody and see if it's right for where you are at.)

Or… you can join our info session next week 👇