Sex toys have come a long way since the days of bee-filled pleasure gourds or hand-carved dildos. Modern vibrating sex toys can be rechargeable or fully submersible in water. They can communicate your mood to your lover with a touch of a button. Some have a remote feature that means your lover can start yours from anywhere in the world. We're long past the days of needing a free hand if you want to have phone sex - which people totally still do. It's safe to say that machine-enhanced sexual pleasure will continue to evolve, bringing us to new heights of orgasm-inducing technology. Sweet!
Some sex toys are likely hackable and it's worth being aware of.
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But ... is there a downside to high-tech sex toys?
In a word: hackers. Hackers are the reason we can't have nice things. They steal our phone numbers and subject us to robocalls.They steal bank numbers or passwords and cause havoc in our online accounts. They steal our nude pics and then get us shamed for having nude bodies under our clothes. Now they want to interfere with our orgasms? Nuts to that, we say!
But, before we all go back to controlling our sex toys with manual buttons, we also have to ask - what information could a hacker actually get from a sex toy? How much would that really bother people? Well, that depends on the toy - and the user.
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If your programmable vibrator is hacked, odds are the hackers won't get anything that compromises you. The simplest phone-controlled vibrators are only keeping track of how long you use your device (no judgment, please) and what vibe patterns you use most often. As long as your favorite vibrations aren't Morse code for your bank routing number, these seem pretty safe. What happens, though, when you add pictures to the mix? Long-distance lovers often video chat. And if you've been on any dating site, chat roulette, or even Words with Friends for any length of time, you already know than many men are fans of amateur penile photography. That's why the existence of "The Cock Cam" should surprise, well, no one. The makers of this camera-on-a-cockring device pinky-swear that your data is secure. Even if you turn out to be the Ansel Adams of dong photography, your pics will never save to the app itself - only to the cloud account or device you specify. Whether you'd trust your intimate photos to that is entirely your choice. We must admit, we're intrigued by the idea of a money shot taken in infrared night vision. You know … just for the novelty. Unless your penis is out there doing illegal things, chances are you won't be hacked and blackmailed based on the pics or vids from your Cock Cam. And at least it's makers are up-front about how they're trying to keep data secure.
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The key is that no matter what app you use, if you take pictures of yourself that wouldn't want shared publicly, make sure you know exactly how they are saved, stored and transmitted. That way you can understand your level of risk and decide whether you're cool with it. Private play is one thing. But what if your data is in danger when you're sharing fun times with a faraway partner? There are now a number of teledildonic devices out there that use Bluetooth for local interactions and can be controlled via Wi-Fi over long distances. Many of the apps that enable these products also include video. They sound like (and are!) amazing toys for long-distance couples, but you'd better be careful about your Wi-Fi connection - it should be private! Otherwise, creepers could be listening - and even watching - your interactions with your partner. Creepy - unless, of course, that's your kink ...
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You should also know what security companies have in place to protect your date from hackers. We're all for trying new things - just make sure you are aware of any risks!
We fully recognize that some people love to show their stuff to the world. In fact, we've even heard that some people love the idea of their app-controlled toys getting hacked. You do you. In the end, a good rule of thumb with app-controlled sex toys is to never share anything digitally that you wouldn't want made into a funny meme and shared a zillion times. That line might be different for everyone. Some of you might be mortified with anyone finding out that Fergilicious is your go-to sex tune. Others might be thrilled that their Cock Cam footage has 100 views. To each their own, we say! But always err on the side of consent.
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Wednesday Lee Friday
Wednesday Lee Friday is an eclectic writer of fact and fiction. She has worked as a reptile wrangler, phone sex operator, radio personality, concierge, editor, fast food manager, horror novelist, and she owns a soap shop. She prefers jobs that let her sleep during the day. Everybody knows all the best art and literature happen at night! Wednesday's work has appeared in Women's Health Interactive, Alternet, Screen Rant, The Roots of Loneliness Project and Authority Magazine. Wednesday Lee Friday was born November 24th, 1970 in Royal Oak, Michigan. It was a Tuesday. After deciding against being a ballerina, an ichthyologist, and a famous singer, she decided to become a novelist just before starting kindergarten. Wednesday went to college in Olivet, Michigan, where she majored in theater and broadcasting for some reason. Wednesday Lee Friday is a four-time published novelist, podcaster, horror fan, soap artisan, and former phonesex gal. Wednesday eats true crime for breakfast, knows enough Dothraki to buy a horse, and is a regular TV and movie reviewer for 411Mania.com. Look for her novels, anthologies, and audiobooks whereever you usually buy those things.
