It is a technological first
A ‘digital condom’ has been released to help prevent non-consensual recording during sex.
Revenge porn – the sharing of private, sexual photos or videos of another person – is on the rise in the UK, increasing by 106 per cent from 2022 to 2023.
One in 14 adults across England and Wales have experienced threats to share their intimate images without their consent, according to research conducted by Refuge.
German sexual health brand BILLY BOY has now partnered with agency Innocean Berlin to invent a first-of-its-kind digital condom to prevent non-consensual recording during sex.
The CAMDOM app is ‘as easy to use as a regular condom’ and protects users against the stealth recording of photos, audio and video by locking the camera and microphone of all devices present in the bedroom.
Sexual partners place their phones near each other and swipe down on a virtual button to lock their phones during intercourse.
If one user tries to sneak out of the lock prematurely and sneakily document the sexual encounter, an alarm will sound to warn others of the potential threat of non-consensual recording.
The button must be pressed simultaneously by all involved in order to unblock the camera and microphone.
The app was developed by Felipe Almida and can block as many devices as needed.
Almeida said: “Nowadays, smartphones have become an extension of our body and we store a lot of sensitive data on them.
“In order to protect you from the recording of non-consensual content, we’ve created the first app that can block your camera and mic simply through the use of Bluetooth.”
BILLY BOY said it is committed to helping young people ‘unlock their pleasure’ and that their new app is ‘a technological first in protecting ourselves, and our sex lives, in the digital realm’.
The company now has a marketing campaign going as it tries to encourage Gen Z to download the app and protect themselves from revenge porn.
Currently the app is only available on Android but will be launching soon on iOS.
