v2.1: Let’s talk about sex-tech, baby

For Tech's Sake

If you ever wanted to hear two nerds talk to an expert about sex, you’re in luck! In this episode, we speak to Dr Caroline West, a sex educator with a master’s in sexuality studies and a PhD in feminism and pornography, and she teaches us a thing or two about sex and dating in the digital age, from digital intimacy to dick pics.

For obvious reasons, this isn’t an episode we would recommend for young, innocent ears, and we also discuss issues such as sexual violence online and offline.

You can find out more about Caroline at IAmCarolineWest.com and be sure to check out her podcast, Glow West, for discussions on sex, sexuality, and the body, through a sexual wellness perspective.

Dr Nicola Fox Hamilton’s work can be found here, and Dr Kate Dawson’s research on porn literacy is here.

Coco's Law – otherwise known as The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act – is explained here, and if you need to report intimate image abuse, go to Hotline.ie.

Some more links you might find interesting:

— An interview with Caroline on Silicon Republic

— A recent article on sex-tech by Elaine, also featuring Caroline

— Some further information on Hotline.ie

— How educators are tackling the problems of bringing sex ed online

— Some background on Replika AI and its ban in Italy

— The long-distance kissing machine

— Support your local Irish sex toy supplier at SexSiopa.ie

We’ll release Caroline’s interview in its entirety for HeadStuff+ members next week, and we’ll be back in a fortnight with an all-new episode.

For Tech’s Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody. Thank you to Megan Fox for production, Matt Mahon and Dall-E for our graphics, Claudia Grandez for her social media support, and all at the HeadStuff team.

If you want to support The HeadStuff Podcast Network, for our sake, for tech’s sake and for many more great podcasts, visit HeadStuffPodcasts.com.

And follow us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choice.

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