Sex Toys News

A digital billboard ad for a Lovehoney ball gag sex toy, seen on 8 February 2023 at Clapham Junction station, featured an image of a ball gag and large text that stated Silence is golden, Harry. Smaller text underneath stated Spare ball gags available at www.lovehoney.co.uk.

A complainant challenged whether the ad was:

1. offensive; and

2. inappropriate for display in an untargeted medium where children could see it. Response

Lovehoney Group Ltd said that they did not believe that the ad was offensive.

The ad was launched in response to the release of Prince Harry's memoir. They pointed to the fact the memoir contained a number of indiscreet revelations, some of which had a sexual reference. At the time the ad was published, Lovehoney issued a press release that explained their motivation for the ad and how it should have been understood, which included that it was meant to be humorous and that not all family stories needed to be shared with the public.

2. They did not believe that the ad was inappropriate for display in an untargeted medium where children could see it. A ball gag had no explicit sexual reference and its way of use was not readily identifiable without further knowledge. Children would not recognise it as a sex toy, and there was nothing in the ad to change that. Neither the picture nor the text spoke to children and therefore made it uninteresting to them. They would, therefore, either ignore it or, at most, wonder what it was about, yet, without seeing any inappropriate hints. Lovehoney therefore believed that this was insufficient to exceed the threshold of inappropriateness.

ASA Assessment

1. Not upheld

The ad featured a large image of a ball gag and text that stated Silence is golden, Harry. and Spare ball gags available at www.lovehoney.co.uk. We understood that a ball gag was a sex toy that was placed in the mouth of a person to limit them from talking.

The ASA considered that some people would find the image of, and references to, a ball gag and the implication that it should be used to stop someone from speaking distasteful. However, we concluded that the ad was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence.

2. Upheld

The ad appeared on a digital billboard at a busy train station, which was an untargeted medium, where it had the potential to be seen by a large number of people, including children.

As referenced above, the ad included a large image of a ball gag and a reference to ball gags in the text in the poster, which we considered inappropriate for children to see. We considered that while younger children were likely to be unaware of what the item was, older children might have greater awareness of what the object was intended for. We therefore considered that the ad was inappropriate for outdoor display where it could be seen by children.

The ad must not appear again in the form complained of. We told Lovehoney Group Ltd to ensure that their ads were appropriately targeted.

Channel 4 is launching a brand new dating show with a raunchy new twist.

The channel is lining up a new show where couples will be encouraged to have internet connected virtual sex on their first date.

Contestants will be provided with Bluetooth sex toys so they can get intimate with each other online, and later meet in person if they strike up a connection.

A TV insider said: Channel 4 has aired some bizarre dating shows, but this will be the most outrageous.

Channel 4 made a pilot towards the end of last year and the next phase is screen-testing it to audiences. Under the working title Sex First , single people will be introduced to each other online as avatars before ramping up their chemistry by having online sex, thanks to the Bluetooth-synced sex toys. If the pairs like what they experience and enjoy their first sexual encounter together, they can then meet to see if the bond is just as compatible in real life.

Let's hope that the remote sex toy feed could be shared with a network dildo equipped audience. Now that would be fun.

South Korean authorities have lifted an import ban on adult-sized sex dolls.

The Korea Customs Service gave the green light allow adult-shaped dolls through customs but added that child-like dolls resembling minors are still prohibited and will be confiscated.

There are no laws or regulations prohibiting the import of sex dolls into South Korea but since 2018 the customs service took it upon itself to confiscate thousands of them, citing a provision in the law that forbids the import of goods that harm the country's beautiful traditions and public moral.

The Supreme Court agreed in 2019 and upheld a decision that sex dolls are used for personal use and fall under the same category as pornography, which is tightly regulated, but legal. The court's decision caused a backlash and almost 250,000 people signed a petition to stop the import of the dolls into South Korea. The unnamed petition's author claimed the dolls could lead to an increase in sex crimes.

Common sense prevailed, however, and the customs service decided to lift the ban.

There's a buzz about Birmingham City after fans revealed plans to stage a mass sex toy protest for the club's next home game against Hull City on March 12.

The Big Blues Protest has been launched by frustrated fans who say they aren't satisfied with the lack of direction being shown by the club's anonymous board.

Now they plan to turn the air Blue by hurling sex toys onto the St Andrew's pitch during the 69th minute of their next home match.