Cybersexy

That was kind of depressing.

I’m working on a new column about sites like MyBlackBook and Bedpost, which help you keep track of your offline sex life using Web 2.0 technology. As always, that means I need to sign up for my own accounts. At first glance, as I prepared for my interview tomorrow with their CEO, I can’t say I was too impressed by MyBlackBook. First off, it’s dull aesthetically. Unlike OkCupid, it doesn’t scream, “Tell me your secrets!” It more screams, “I’m cold and sterile and awkward to navigate!”

More importantly, I can’t say I see myself every using their system. The basic idea is to make entries for every person you’ve slept with, and for every encounter with each person. So, after a night of fun, you log onto the site and record the who, what, where, when, and how. Not only does the site have the nerve to ask you exactly what sexual positions you tried, it also wants the first and last name and phone number of the person you slept with. Secure or not, there doesn’t seem to be any reason to tell the internet that. Then the site asks for your partners’ birthdays. Um, aren’t you happy I know they’re full names?

MyBlackBook claims to be an STD prevention site — the idea being the more info you have on who you’ve slept with the better armed you’ll be in the war against disease. Still, is selecting “reverse cowgirl” over “missionary” really going to tell you whether I’m likely to contract Herpes?