All language subtitles for Original.Sin.Sex.S01E01.Hi-Tech.Sex.720p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264-SPiRiT

♪

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER:
SEX IS A BASIC NEED.

MAN: THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION
HAS FINALLY ARRIVED.

PENN JILLETTE:
FROM THE TIME I WAS 12,

I DON'T THINK
THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT

MATTERED BESIDES SEX.

NARRATOR: EVER SINCE THE
MOST POWERFUL HUMAN DRIVE

HOOKED UP WITH TECHNOLOGY,

IT'S BEEN
ONE TORRID AFFAIR.

RAVI PATEL: THERE HAS
NEVER BEEN A BETTER UNION

THAN SEX AND TECHNOLOGY.

DR. DREW PINSKY: THE
CONSEQUENCES ARE PROFOUND.

ANDY COHEN: FOR ME A
BIG TURNING POINT WAS WHEN

I GOT MY FIRST PORNO VHS.

SHANNON BOODRAM: THIS
GREATLY CHANGED THE WAY

THAT WE TALK
ABOUT SEX, SEE SEX,

AND MEET
OUR SEXUAL PARTNERS.

ANN COULTER: I THINK
TINDER SOUNDS SO FANTASTIC.

IF I WERE NOT
A PUBLIC FIGURE,

I WOULD
TOTALLY DO TINDER.

NARRATOR: BUT AS THE
LINE BLURS BETWEEN THE DEVICE

AND THE FLESH.

DR. DREW PINSKY: WE
ARE EVOLVED FOR THIS.

NARRATOR: WHAT ARE THE
NEW FRONTIERS OF FANTASY?

WOMAN: WELCOME
TO MY BEDROOM.

MARTY KLEIN: WHAT EXACTLY
IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

REALITY AND FANTASY?

MAN: YOUR BRAIN
IS REALLY GONNA BELIEVE

YOU'RE IN THERE.

HELEN FISHER:
TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING SEX

AND CHANGING LOVE.

NARRATOR: AND WHAT
ARE NEW TABOOS?

SAM YAGAN:
MOST PEOPLE SAY,

"OKAY, WELL, IF IT'S
GOOD ENOUGH FOR MY MOM,

IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME."

NARRATOR: FROM THE
TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY,

SEX HAS BEEN LITERALLY
ELECTRIFIED BY TECHNOLOGY.

ONE OF THE FIRST FIVE
ELECTRIC GADGETS BESIDES

THE SEWING MACHINE,
FAN, TOASTER, AND TEA KETTLE

WAS A PLUG-IN
SEXUAL STIMULATOR.

THE VIBRATOR WAS A
CURE-ALL FOR A SERIES OF

MYSTERIOUS COMPLAINTS
COLLECTIVELY CALLED

HYSTERIA THAT PLAGUED
VICTORIAN ERA WOMEN.

JANE WARD: ANY WOMAN WHO
WAS EXPERIENCING STRESS,

ANY WOMAN FRANKLY WHO WAS
VIOLATING VICTORIAN GENDER

NORMS, WHO WAS TOO UPPITY,
WHO WAS TOO CONFIDENT, WHO

WAS DISSATISFIED WITH
HER HUSBAND, SHE WOULD VERY

LIKELY BE
DIAGNOSED AS HYSTERICAL.

DR. DREW PINSKY: THERE
WAS A, SORT OF A PHILOSOPHY

IN MEDICINE THAT
HYSTERIA EMANATED FROM A

BLOCK IN WOMAN'S SEX ORGAN.

THESE PHYSICIANS WOULD ACTUAL
MANUALLY STIMULATE THE WOMEN.

CRAZY.

NARRATOR: INITIALLY,
THE PROCEDURE CALLED FOR A

DOCTOR TO MASSAGE THE CLITORIS TO THE POINT OF ORGASM,

THEREBY RELIEVING
THE BUILT-UP PRESSURE

THOUGHT TO CAUSE HYSTERIA.

NINA HARTLEY: IT WAS
NOT CONSIDERED FALLACIOUS

IN ANY WAY.

IT WAS CONSIDERED
COMPLETELY MODERN

SCIENTIFIC VICTORIAN
MEDICINE IN THE TREATMENT

OF HYSTERIA.

DR. DREW PINSKY: IF A
DOCTOR DID THAT TODAY,

HE OR SHE SHOULD BE ARRESTED
AND ESCORTED AWAY IMMEDIATELY.

JANE WARD: IT WAS SO
IMPOSSIBLE FOR THESE

VICTORIAN PHYSICIANS TO
IMAGINE THAT WOMEN WERE SEXUAL,

THAT THEY
HAD A SEX DRIVE.

NARRATOR: BUT THE
TREATMENT FAILS IF THE

DOCTOR DOESN'T HAVE
THE RIGHT TOUCH OR STAMINA.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: I
ACTUALLY THINK THE DOCTORS

PROBABLY WEREN'T THAT GOOD
AT BRINGING WOMEN TO ORGASM.

KATE WHITE: WHEN THEY
WERE HELPING WOMEN COME

TO ORGASM THEIR
HANDS GOT TIRED.

NATHAN ENSMENGER: LIKE
A LOT OF MANUAL TASKS THAT

ARE DIFFICULT
AND POSSIBLY ONEROUS,

IT WAS MECHANIZED.

NARRATOR: AND SO
WAS BORN THE VIBRATOR.

ONE EARLY VERSION WAS A
TABLE TOP MODEL DESIGNED

FOR THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE,

AND POWERED
BY A STEAM ENGINE.

THEN IN 1902,
HAMILTON BEACH INTRODUCED

THE FIRST PERSONAL VIBRATOR,

JUST THE FIFTH DOMESTIC
APPLIANCE TO BE ELECTRIFIED.

BUT TO SET THE TONE FOR
MANY ANOTHER SEXUAL DEVICE,

IT WAS MARKETED
WITH DISCRETION BORDERING

ON DECEPTION.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: YOU
CAN SEE THE ADS GOING WAY,

WAY BACK WHERE THERE'S
A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN AND SHE'S

HOLDING UP A MASSAGER
AND IT SAYS SOMETHING LIKE,

"TAKES AWAY THE
ACHES AND PAINS.

LET GO OF THE
STRESS OF THE DAY."

OFTEN SHE HAS IT ON HER NECK.

IN DRUGSTORES TODAY,
YOU CAN SEE THAT SAME WOMAN

WITH THE WAND VIBRATOR
HOLDING IT UP TO HER NECK.

BUT THE TRUTH IS NO ONE
IS PUTTING THAT ON THEIR NECK.

NO ONE.

WOMAN: WHAT'S THAT?

WOMAN 2: JUST A VIBRATOR.

WOMAN: OH, WOW,
IT'S FUNNY, NO?

NARRATOR: ANOTHER
20TH CENTURY TRIUMPH OF

TECHNOLOGY WAS
QUICKLY CO-OPTED FOR SEX.

WEIGHING IN
AT A TON OR MORE,

IT BECAME ONE OF THE ALL-TIME BIGGEST FETISH OBJECTS.

WOMAN: GEE, THIS
IS A BEAUTIFUL CAR.

MAN: CHEVROLET, 1956.

WOMAN: NICE.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: THE
CAR INDUSTRY SHOULD BE MY

PARTNER IN THE
SEXUAL EVOLUTION.

WOMAN: A MAN
LIKE YOU, I MEAN,

WITH A CAR LIKE THIS.

NATHAN ENSMENGER:
I OFTEN ASK STUDENTS,

"WHAT IS AN AUTOMOBILE FOR?"

AND I'LL USUALLY
GET SOME ANSWER LIKE,

"IT'S FOR THE TRANSPORTATION
FROM POINT A TO POINT B."

BUT FOR A 16 YEAR OLD KID
THE AUTOMOBILE IS ABOUT FREEDOM.

IT'S A PLACE THAT THEY
CAN GET TO WITHOUT BEING UNDER

THE EYE OF THEIR PARENTS.

SON: SO, DAD, DO YOU THINK
I COULD HAVE THE CAR TONIGHT?

DAD: WHAT DO YOU
WANT WITH THE CAR?

SON: GEE, DAD, GIRLS
DON'T GO OUT WITH A FELLOW

UNLESS HE'S GOT A CAR.

DAD: YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO
BE RUNNING AROUND IN CARS

AT NIGHT WITH GIRLS.

SON: I'M 16, AREN'T I?

MARTY KLEIN:
BEFORE THE CAR,

PEOPLE DIDN'T DATE JUST
TWO PEOPLE BY THEMSELVES.

THEY HAD TO HAVE A
CHAPERONE OR THE PERSON

HAD TO COME TO YOUR HOME.

THERE WAS
EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY.

HELEN FISHER: WHEN THE
CAR BECAME WIDELY AVAILABLE,

NOW YOU HAVE A
ROLLING BEDROOM.

NARRATOR: IN A TIME
OF SEXUAL REPRESSION,

AMERICA'S CRUSH ON THE
CAR WAS THERE FOR ALL TO SEE.

AND IT'S EVOLUTION FROM
THE DOUGHTY MODEL-T TO THE

CURVACEOUS CHROME-DRIPPING
BEAUTIES OF THE 1950S.

THE CAR WAS MORE
THAN TRANSPORTATION.

IT WAS SEX ON WHEELS.

ANDY COHEN: THE CAR
IS A MOBILE HOTEL, MOTEL,

LITTLE SCREW PALACE IS
AN INGENIOUS INVENTION.

I IMAGINE PEOPLE IN
THE '50S BEING SO REPRESSED

AND HAVING NOWHERE TO
GO AND THEN GOING IN PARKING

SOMEWHERE AND
THEN DOING IT IN THE CAR

AND FOGGING
UP THE WINDOWS.

KATE WHITE: I GUESS YOU
COULD SAY THE CAR PLAYED A

PRETTY BIG ROLE IN
THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION.

NARRATOR: BESIDES ITS CANDY-COLORED ROLLING BEDROOMS,

THE 1950S WERE
STILL, WELL, THE '50S.

MAN: AFTER THE DAY'S WORK
AND WORRIES ARE DONE WHAT

IS MORE FUN FOR A MAN
THAN TO COME HOME TO A QUIET

HOUSE WITH HAPPY
CHILDREN AND A LOVING SPOUSE.

WOMAN: GOOD NIGHT, MOTHER.

GOOD NIGHT, FATHER.

DAVID EISENBACH: THE
1950S ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO

AS THE AGE OF CONFORMITY.

JEAN KILBOURNE: SEXUALITY
WAS JUST A WHOLE LOT OF

REPRESSION AND A WHOLE LOT
OF GUILT AND SHAME AROUND IT.

WOMAN: WE'RE NOT READY
FOR THAT KIND OF ATTACHMENT,

ARE WE?

JERRY SPRINGER: WE WERE
WATCHING "I LOVE LUCY,"

AND MARRIED COUPLES WERE
SLEEPING IN SEPARATE BEDS.

LARRY FLYNT: SEX
WAS REALLY TABOO.

IT WAS BASICALLY
FOR PROCREATION.

AND IF YOU DID ENJOY IT,

YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO
NECESSARILY TALK ABOUT IT.

WOMAN: JESS,
ISN'T THAT AILEEN?

JESS: IT SURE IS,
BABY AND ALL.

NARRATOR: BUT SOMETHING
SMALLER THAN A JELLYBEAN

WAS ABOUT TO TOUCH OFF
ONE OF THE BIGGEST SOCIAL

REVOLUTIONS OF ALL TIME.

MAN: CONTRACEPTION
IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY,

YOU KNOW,
YOU HAD DIAPHRAGMS.

ALSO AVAILABLE IS
THE CONDOM OR RUBBER.

DAVID EISENBACH: AND THEN
YOU HAD LIKE QUACK IDEAS,

LIKE THE IDEA THAT
LYSOL IS A CONTRACEPTIVE

AND WOULD
PREVENT PREGNANCY.

MAN: TO USE LYSOL,
MEASURE TWO AND ONE HALF

TABLESPOONS IN A
GALLON OF CLEANING WATER,

AND DEATH TO EVIL GERMS.

MIRIAM REUMANN: THE MOST
COMMONLY AND WIDELY USED

CONTRACEPTIVE FOR WOMEN WAS
DOUCHING WITH CLEANING PRODUCTS.

IT DIDN'T WORK.

AT BEST, IT WAS
INEFFECTUAL, AND AT WORST

IT WOULD BURN YOUR
TISSUES QUITE DRAMATICALLY.

MAN: ASK FOR LYSOL
AT YOUR DRUGGIST TODAY.

MIRIAM REUMANN:
NEVERTHELESS, THAT'S HOW

DESPERATE PEOPLE WERE
WHEN THEY HAD NO ACCESS TO

DECENT BIRTH CONTROL.

NARRATOR: IT ALL ADDED UP
TO ONE BIG SEXUAL TURN OFF.

WITHIN ONE TWEAK OF
TECHNOLOGY CHANGED THE

SUBJECT OF BIRTH CONTROL
FROM A TURN OFF TO A TURN ON,

THE ETERNAL NO
INTO AN ECSTATIC YES.

WOMAN: THE BIRTH CONTROL
PILL IS VERY EFFECTIVE IF

TAKEN DAILY AS DIRECTED.

FOR MOST WOMEN, THE
PILL IS SAFE, EFFECTIVE,

AND CONVENIENT.

DR. CARL DJERASSI:
FOR THE FIRST TIME,

IT SEPARATED
SEX AND CONTRACEPTION.

NARRATOR: IN THIS NEVER
BEFORE SEEN INTERVIEW,

ONE OF THE CHEMISTS WHO
FIRST SYNTHESIZED THE HORMONE

PROGESTERONE TELLS OF
THE BREAKTHROUGH THAT MADE

THE PILL POSSIBLE.

DR. CARL DJERASSI:
PROGESTERONE IS ONE OF THE

FEMALE SEX HORMONES WHICH
IS NATURE'S CONTRACEPTIVE.

WE COMPLETED THE
SYNTHESIS OF THAT SUBSTANCE

OCTOBER 15, 1951.

SO, YOU COULD SAY THAT
WAS THE BIRTHDAY OF THE PILL.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: IT
RADICALLY SHIFTED THE

SEX LIVES OF WOMEN.

MAN: ABOUT 1,800 WOMEN
ARE USING THE PILL NOW,

GETTING IT FREE IN
RETURN FOR A REGULAR REPORTING

ON THE RESULTS.

DEBORAH TOLMAN: IF YOU
TOOK THE PILL CORRECTLY,

THERE IS A 99.5% CHANCE THAT
IT WAS GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE.

WE HAD NEVER HAD THAT KIND
OF EFFECTIVE BIRTH CONTROL.

NARRATOR: THE PILL HIT
THE U.S. MARKET IN 1960,

APPROVED NOT
FOR BIRTH CONTROL,

WHICH WAS THEN
ILLEGAL IN MANY STATES,

BUT AS A REMEDY
FOR MENSTRUAL CRAMPS.

AMERICAN WOMEN KNEW
EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS FOR,

AND HOW TO GET IT.

COMPLAINTS OF MENSTRUAL
DISORDERS SKYROCKETED

ALONG WITH
PRESCRIPTIONS FOR THE PILL.

JEAN KILBOURNE: I WENT ON
THE PILL FAIRLY SOON AFTER

IT WAS DEVELOPED.

FOR MOST OF US,
OUR LIVES WOULD HAVE BEEN

SO COMPLETELY
DERAILED BY AN UNWANTED,

UNEXPECTED PREGNANCY.

WOMAN: I WANTED THE PILLS.

DOCTOR: I SEE, DO YOU HAVE
ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE PILLS?

HAVE YOU USED THEM BEFORE?

WOMAN: NO.

DOCTOR: NO?

PENN JILLETTE: I WAS
VERY AWARE THAT IF THE GIRL

THAT I HAD SEX
WITH GOT PREGNANT THAT

MY LIFE WOULD CHANGE.

I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
IF MY PARTNER WERE ON THE PILL,

THAT I ACTUALLY SAW THE
PILLS AND CHECKED THE DATES,

WHICH I DID DO.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: THE POWER
WAS ESSENTIALLY IN OUR HANDS,

AND THERE WAS A LOT
MORE DISCUSSION AROUND

SEX FOR PLEASURE
SAKE, SEX FOR FUN,

RATHER THAN SIMPLY
SEX FOR PROCREATION.

DR. CARL DJERASSI: SEX IS
FOR FUN AND LOVE AND LUST.

AND I AS A WOMAN
AM ENTITLED TO SEXUAL

PLEASURE JUST AS MUCH
AS THE MAN WITHOUT ALWAYS

HAVING TO EITHER PAY THE
CONSEQUENCES OR THE FEAR

OF AN UNWANTED PREGNANCY.

NARRATOR: BY 1965,

6.5 MILLION AMERICAN
WOMEN WERE ON THE PILL.

AND THE PROBLEM OF
FORGETTING A DAILY DOSE

WAS EASED BY THE INVENTION
THE NOW ICONIC DIAL PACK.

SOME PAKISTANI WOMEN RELIED
ON THE CELESTIAL DIAL PACK,

RESTARTING THEIR
CYCLE OF TAKING

PILLS ON THE
NIGHT OF EACH NEW MOON.

BUT WITH SO MANY
WOMEN ON SUCH A NEW DRUG,

THERE WERE COMPLICATIONS.

JANE WARD: THESE PILLS
PRODUCED A WHOLE HOST OF

SIDE-EFFECTS, WEIGHT
GAIN, SOMETIMES NAUSEA,

SOMETIMES CONSTIPATION.

JEAN KILBOURNE: THE MUCH
MORE SERIOUS ONE, THE ONE

THAT WASN'T REALLY TALKED
ABOUT WAS THE RELATIONSHIP

OF THE PILL TO DEPRESSION.

I BECAME
VERY DEPRESSED AND

SOMEWHAT
SUICIDAL FOR A TIME.

NARRATOR: THE SEVERITY OF
THE REACTIONS WAS DUE TO

THE EARLY PILL
CONTAINING FIVE TO TEN TIMES

THE HORMONES
OF TODAY'S VERSION.

BUT FOR WOMEN WHO
WOULD PUT UP WITH CHEMICAL

DOUCHES AND WORSE,
THE SIDE EFFECTS WERE NOT

AS DEBILITATING AS
THE PILL WAS LIBERATING.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: WE HAD
CONTROL OVER OUR BODIES

AND THAT REALLY
CHANGED EVERYTHING.

NARRATOR: MEN HAD TO WAIT
ANOTHER THREE DECADES FOR

THEIR OWN BREAKTHROUGH
IN SEXUAL TECHNOLOGY,

BUT THIS TIME, THE
PILLS CAME DOLLED UP IN BLUE.

DR. DREW PINSKY: I
REMEMBER THE DAY THEY WERE

APPROVED BY THE FDA
BECAUSE I HAD 75-PLUS YEAR

OLD MEN WALK IN MY
OFFICE ONE AFTER THE OTHER

DEMANDING THAT PILL.

AND ABOUT A WEEK LATER,
EQUALLY AS MAN PHONE CALLS

FROM ANGRY WIVES.

NARRATOR: IN 1998,
UPON THE DRUG'S RELEASE,

DOCTORS WERE DOLING OUT
VIAGRA AT A RATE OF 10,000

NEW PRESCRIPTIONS A DAY.

ONE PHYSICIAN WROTE 300
PRESCRIPTIONS THE DAY IT

BECAME AVAILABLE.

BOB DOLE: WHEN I WAS
DIAGNOSED WITH PROSTATE CANCER,

I WAS CONCERNED
ABOUT POSSIBLE

POST-OPERATIVE SIDE EFFECTS
LIKE ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION, ED.

DR. DREW PINSKY: BOB
DOLE CAME OUT WITH AN AD

TALKING ABOUT VIAGRA,
AND IT HAD A HUGE IMPACT.

I THINK BECAUSE FOR THE
FIRST TIME WE WERE LOOKING

AT OUR ELDER
STATESMEN, LITERALLY,

AS SEXUAL BEINGS.

OH, MY GOD.

THEY HAVE SEX, TOO?

ELIZABETH DOLE: LET ME
JUST SAY THAT I'LL MAKE

THIS STATEMENT
HE WAS IN THE PROTOCOL

AND IT'S A GREAT DRUG, OKAY?

BOB DOLE: WELL, IT'S A
LITTLE EMBARRASSING TO

TALK ABOUT ED, BUT IT'S
SO IMPORTANT TO MILLIONS OF

MEN AND THEIR PARTNERS
THAT I DECIDED TO TALK

ABOUT IT PUBLICALLY.

LYNN COMELLA: THEY'RE
PROBABLY THE LEAST SEXY

ADS THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE.

DR. DREW PINSKY: THE
BOB DOLE AD WAS NOT WHAT YOU

CALL SEXY, BUT
NOR WAS IT MEANT TO BE.

THIS IS A MEDICAL
INTERVENTION FOR A MEDICAL

CONDITION CALLED
ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION IN OLDER

MEN DUE TO
MEDICATION AND VASCULAR ISSUES.

IT SHOULDN'T BE
SEXY NECESSARILY.

NARRATOR: WHILE MEDICAL
ADVANCES ENABLED

THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION,
IT WAS ANOTHER UNSTOPPABLE

WAVE OF TECHNOLOGY
THAT INDULGED OUR FANTASIES.

WOMAN: LOOK AT ME.

DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?

WOMAN: LOOK AT ME.

DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?

GOOD, BECAUSE IT'S NOT ME.

IT'S A RECORDING OF ME,
ON NEW MEMOREX VIDEOTAPE.

NARRATOR: THE YEAR 1976
SAW THE ROLLOUT OF THE

FIRST HOME VHS
MACHINES IN JAPAN.

A YEAR LATER, VHS WAS
A MUST-HAVE PERSONAL

TECHNOLOGY
AROUND THE WORLD.

JIM STICKLEY: EVERYBODY
WANTED A VHS PLAYER.

NOW, YOU COULD RENT MOVIES
AND WATCH MOVIES IN YOUR HOME.

YOU COULD ALSO RECORD
ANYTHING ON TELEVISION.

WOMAN: EVEN AFTER 100
RECORDINGS, YOU'LL WONDER,

"IS IT LIVE
OR IS MEMOREX?"

NARRATOR: BEGINNING A PATTERN OF EARLY ADOPTING NEW TECHNOLOGY,

THE ADULT FILM
BUSINESS POUNCED ON THE VHS.

JIM STICKLEY: IF YOU SAW
"BOOGIE NIGHTS," YOU'LL KNOW

THAT VHS PRETTY MUCH
CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR

THE PORN INDUSTRY.

NOW, THEY COULD MAKE
VERY INEXPENSIVE PORN.

I MEAN, THEY JUST NEEDED
A CAMERA AND A VHS TAPE,

AND SUDDENLY
THEY'RE MAKING MOVIES.

MAN: NO MORE RAINCOATS AND
SNEAKING INTO ADULT THEATERS,

X-RATED VIDEOS
ARE IN THE SAME STORES

THAT CARRY GONE WITH
THE WIND AND PINOCCHIO.

ANDY COHEN: FOR ME,
A BIG TURNING POINT WAS WHEN

I SAW ACTUAL PORN,
WHEN I GOT MY HANDS ON

MY FIRST PORNO VHS.

DAVID EISENBACH: BEFORE
VHS, IF YOU WANTED TO

WATCH PORN, YOU HAD
TO DRIVE TO, LIKE, THE

SHADIEST SIDE OF TOWN,
YOU HAD TO PARK YOUR CAR IN

A SIDE STREET, AND
THEN SNEAK IN TO THIS MOVIE

THEATER AND HOPE NONE
OF YOUR NEIGHBORS COULD

SEE YOU GO IN.

WOMAN: I HAD NEVER BEEN IN
THAT TYPE OF THEATRE, NEVER.

BUT NOW, IN THE
PRIVACY OF YOUR OWN HOME,

PEOPLE DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, IF, I
DON'T KNOW ANYBODY HERE,

I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU.

JIM STICKLEY: YOU
COULD EVEN GO TO YOUR,

TO YOUR LOCAL VIDEO
RENTAL PLACES AND THEY WOULD

HAVE THE ADULT SECTION, IT
HAD THE CURTAIN IN FRONT OF IT,

A LITTLE SIGN
SAID, "ADULTS ONLY,"

AND YOU COULD GO
IN THERE AND PICK FROM

A WHOLE SLEW OF MOVIES.

MAN: 20 TO 30% OF OUR
RENTALS IS ON X-RATED,

AND THAT IS GOING STRONGER
AND STRONGER EVERY TIME.

NINA HARTLEY: IT DID
JUMP-START A LOT OF SEX LIVES.

IN THE PRIVACY
OF YOUR BEDROOM,

"HEY, HONEY, WE CAN
WATCH A MOVIE TONIGHT."

"OH, SWEETHEART."

NARRATOR: WHILE VHS MOVIES WERE
SPICING UP COUPLES' SEX LIVES,

SINGLES WERE LOOKING
FOR LOVE, AS THE SONG GOES,

"IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES."

HELEN FISHER: PEOPLE
THINK THAT WALKING INTO A

CROWDED BAR IS THE WAY
YOU COULD MEET SOMEBODY.

JERRY SPRINGER: WHEN YOU
MEET SOMEONE AT A BAR, AND

WHO KNOWS HOW SOBER
THEY ARE AT THE MOMENT THAT

YOU'RE MEETING THEM,
THE INTENTION OF GOING TO

A BAR, WHAT IS, WHAT
ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT.

KATE WHITE: I CAN REMEMBER
GOING TO PLACES THAT WERE

FAMOUS BARS
WHERE PEOPLE MET,

AND I WAS
JUST SO BAD AT IT.

NO GUY WOULD TALK TO ME.

I'D MAKE ABOUT 80
TRIPS TO THE LADIES ROOM.

RAVI PATEL: I'VE NEVER
WALKED INTO A CLUB AND

EVERYONE BE LIKE,
"OH, I GOT TO HIT THAT."

NO, I LIKE, I CAN'T
DO CLUBS BECAUSE THEY

CAN'T HEAR MY JOKES.

DAN SAVAGE: THE CULTURE
REALLY CAME AROUND ONE DAY

AND CONCLUDED THAT
IT WASN'T OKAY TO HIT ON

PEOPLE AT WORK OR ON
THE STREET OR ON THE BUS,

AND THAT YOUR PARENTS
AREN'T GONNA INTRODUCE YOU

TO YOUR FUTURE
MATES OR SPOUSES ANYMORE.

SO WE NEEDED PLACES TO GO,

SPACES TO ENTER
WHERE WE WERE SAYING,

"HIT ON ME, HERE I AM.

YOU CAN HIT ON ME HERE."

NARRATOR: IN 1977, THE FIRST MODEST ATTEMPT TO CREATE

A VIRTUAL SPACE FOR PEOPLE
TO MEET HIT THE DATING SCENE.

NATHAN ENSMENGER: WHILE
PEOPLE LOVE TO EXPERIMENT

WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES,
THOSE EXPERIMENTS DON'T

ALWAYS WORK OUT.

VIDEO DATING FOR EXAMPLE.

♪ SINGERS: IS IT YOU, IS
IT ME, IS IT US, IS IT WE? ♪

♪ IT'S DATE-A-MAX,
DATE-A-MAX. ♪♪

NATHAN ENSMENGER:
YOU HAD TO FILM YOURSELF,

YOU HAD TO TAKE THE
TAPES TO A CENTRAL REPOSITORY,

YOU HAD TO DO A MANUAL
MATCHING OF INDIVIDUALS,

AND THEN YOU HAD TO GO
THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS

OF MEETING THEM
IN PERSON ANYWAY.

NARRATOR: GENERALLY,
PEOPLE FILM THEIR PROFILES

AT A CENTRAL STUDIO,
WHICH SPOOKED SOME WOULD-BE

DATERS BECAUSE
THEY FELT EXPOSED.

IT ALSO
MEANT STAGE FRIGHT.

MAN: HELLO,
PROSPECTIVE MATE.

WHAT I HAVE TO OFFER YOU
IS A LIFETIME OF HAPPINESS.

NATHAN ENSMENGER: ASKING
THOSE PEOPLE TO FILM

THEMSELVES ALONE IN A ROOM
AND SPONTANEOUSLY GENERATE

SOME KIND OF
COMPELLING PRESENCE.

MAN: I'M VERY
CLEAN AND HYGIENIC.

NATHAN ENSMENGER:
SEEMS ABSURD.

MAN: I GOT A SEXY BODY
AND I HAVE A GREAT CAR.

NARRATOR: VIDEO DATING
BY VHS TAPE WAS ONE OF SEXUAL

TECHNOLOGY'S DEAD ENDS,
BUT IT'S BASIC IDEA OF

MAKING LOVE MATCHES BY
LINKING PROFILES WAS ABOUT

TO BECOME A GAME CHANGER.

WOMAN: WHEN IT COMES TO
MEETING SOMEONE GREAT ONLINE,

THERE'S ONLY
ONE PLACE TO GO.

MAN: YOU MUST HAVE THIS.

WOMAN: ALL RIGHT.

MAN: ARE YOU READY?

WOMAN: OKAY.

DAN SAVAGE: IT IS NO
LONGER STIGMATIZED.

IT IS HOW IT'S DONE.

NARRATOR: BY THE 1990S,
THE HUNGER FOR INSTANT

SEXUAL GRATIFICATION
WAS FEEDING ON A NEW

KIND OF TECHNOLOGY.

BRYANT GUMBEL: WHAT
IS INTERNET ANYWAY?

WHAT, DO YOU
WRITE TO IT LIKE MAIL?

KATIE COURIC: ALISON, CAN
YOU EXPLAIN WHAT INTERNET IS?

BRYANT GUMBEL: NO, SHE CAN'T SAY
ANYTHING IN 10 SECONDS OR LESS.

WOMAN: OH.

NARRATOR: WHAT WOULD SEDUCE
THE GREATER PART OF HUMANITY?

IT STARTED OFF SNAIL-LIKE
AND HARSH-SOUNDING.

DON LEMON: IT TOOK
FOREVER WITH THE, YOU KNOW,

[DIAL UP CONNECTION SOUND]

WITH THE
WHOLE DIAL-UP THING.

AND, OF COURSE, ONE
OF THE FIRST PLACES YOU

WENT IS INTO A CHAT ROOM.

WOMAN: LOOK, THIS
IS ELECTRONIC LUST.

IT'S LOTS AND LOTS
OF HOT CONNECTIONS.

IT REALLY IS, IT'S GREAT!

NARRATOR: INTERNET USAGE MULTIPLIED LIKE FRISKY RABBITS.

IN 1995, JUST 14% OF
AMERICANS WERE ONLINE.

TWO YEARS LATER, THE NUMBER'S
MORE THAN DOUBLED TO 36%.

AND THAT'S WHEN THE
INTERNET STARTED BECOMING

THE GREATEST MATCHMAKER
IN SHEER NUMBERS THE WORLD

HAS EVER SEEN.

MAN: JUST BECAUSE I
DIDN'T FIND MY WIFE ON THE

INTERNET DOESN'T
MEAN YOUR SPECIAL SOMEONE

ISN'T OUT THERE SOMEWHERE.

WOMAN: HI, HOW ARE YOU?

MAN: HI.

WOMAN: NO ONE CAN TELL YOU
WHERE A FIRST DATE WILL LEAD.

DO YOU COOK?

MAN: YES.

NARRATOR: IN 1995, A
NEW KIND OF ONLINE DATING

STARTED TO MAKE
INTERNET CHAT ROOMS OBSOLETE.

WOMAN: WHEN IT COMES TO
MEETING SOMEONE GREAT ONLINE,

THERE'S ONLY
ONE PLACE TO GO.

MAN: YOU MUST HAVE THIS.

WOMAN: ALL RIGHT.

MAN: ARE YOU READY?

WOMAN: OKAY.

MAN: ALL RIGHT,
HERE IT COMES.

WOMAN: MATCH.COM.

NARRATOR: WHAT CAN
END WITH ROMANTIC BLISS,

STARTS OUT WITH
CRUNCHING NUMBERS.

SAM YAGAN: IN THE CONTEXT
OF DATING AN ALGORITHM IS

A FORMULA THAT TAKES A
LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE

KNOW ABOUT TWO PEOPLE
AND DETERMINES WHETHER WE

THINK THEY'RE GONNA BE
COMPATIBLE WITH EACH OTHER.

JIM STICKLEY: AND
EVERY SITE THAT HAS THESE

ALGORITHMS HAS COME
UP WITH ONE THAT'S VERY

SPECIFIC THAT THEY THINK
IS THE MASTER RIGHT ONE.

AND OF COURSE, THEIR
SECRET SAUCE IS GONNA BE

SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN
ANOTHER SITE'S SECRET SAUCE,

AND THE QUESTION
IS GONNA BE, YOU KNOW,

WHO'S SECRET SAUCE IS BETTER?

NATHAN ENSMENGER: ONE
OF THE APPEALS OF ONLINE

DATING IS THIS
MAGICAL MYSTERY FACTOR,

THIS IDEA THAT SOMEWHERE
SOMEBODY KNOWS HOW TO MAKE

BETTER CHOICES
THAN YOU YOURSELF.

DR. DREW PINSKY: WHY IS IT
DIFFERENT TO SEE SOMEBODY ON A,

ON A DATING PROFILE
THAN TO SEE SOMEBODY

ACROSS THE ROOM IN A,
IN A BAR OR A VENUE?

IT'S KIND OF
THE SAME THING.

IT'S JUST A
LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY.

YOU ARE SELECTING SOMEONE
THEN YOU'RE MEETING THEM

IN THE FLESH, YOU'RE
ASSESSING ONE ANOTHER.

HELEN FISHER: THE BOTTOM
LINE IS ONLINE DATING IS

MORE NATURAL WAY TO
MEET SOMEBODY THAN WALKING

INTO A BAR.

NARRATOR: THE TECHNOLOGY
ALSO ALTERS THE DATING

LANDSCAPE BY SUBTRACTING
SOME OF THE STING OF

FACE-TO-FACE REJECTION.

DEVYN SIMONE: IF
THEY DON'T RESPOND,

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU WERE
STANDING THERE IN THEIR FACE

AND THEY JUST
WALKED AWAY FROM YOU,

AND YOU START TO
FEEL ASHAMED OR LIKE,

"OH, MY GOD,
THAT'S TERRIBLE."

IT'S LIKE, "OH,
MAYBE THEY'RE BUSY,

MAYBE THEY DIDN'T SEE IT,
MAYBE THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED."

THERE'S JUST SO MANY
PEOPLE THAT IT'S EASIER TO

SORT OF MOVE ON FROM THAT.

HELEN FISHER: WE CAN
INTRODUCE YOU TO SOMEBODY

WHO HAS THE RIGHT COLOR,
SHAPE, SIZE, ET CETERA,

BUT THE ONLY REAL ALGORITHM
IS YOUR OWN HUMAN BRAIN.

AS YOU GROW UP, YOU
BUILD WHAT I CALL A LOVE MAP,

AN UNCONSCIOUS LIST
OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR

IN A PARTNER.

AND THEN IF THAT DATING
SITE INTRODUCES YOU TO SOMEBODY,

YOU'VE GOT TO
GET OUT AND MEET THAT

PERSON ON A PARK BENCH,
IN A COFFEE HOUSE, IN A BAR,

WHEREVER YOU MEET THEM AND
YOUR ANCIENT HUMAN BRAIN

WILL CLICK INTO ACTION
AND YOU WILL COURT THE WAY WE

DID A MILLION YEARS AGO.

KATIE COURIC: THERE WAS
A TIME WHERE PEOPLE WOULD

BE SO MORTIFIED TO
PUT THEIR NAME ON A WEBSITE

AND TRY TO MEET PEOPLE
THROUGH THE COMPUTER BUT

I READ AN ARTICLE NOT TOO
LONG AGO IN THE NEW YORK TIMES

IT SAID, SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE
THINK THIS IS NO BIG WHOOP.

SAM YAGAN: I THINK THE
BIGGEST THING THAT HAS

SORT OF ERASED THE
CULTURAL TABOO AND MADE IT

TOTALLY MAINSTREAM TO BE
ONLINE DATING IS THE FACT

THAT SO MANY
PEOPLE ARE DOING IT.

THAT MOST PEOPLE SAY,

"OKAY, WELL, IF IT'S
GOOD ENOUGH FOR MY FRIEND,

OR MY SISTER, OR MY MOM,
IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME."

DEVYN SIMONE: IF YOU HAVEN'T
WRAPPED YOUR MIND AROUND

THE FACT THAT ONLINE
DATING IS HERE TO STAY,

NOW IS PROBABLY A
GOOD TIME TO DO IT.

NARRATOR: IN FACT, A
RECENT STUDY OUT OF NEW

SOUTH WALES SHOWS THAT
80% OF GAY MEN FIND THEIR

BOYFRIENDS USING
INTERNET DATING TECHNOLOGY.

DAN SAVAGE: IT IS
NO LONGER STIGMATIZED.

IT IS HOW IT'S DONE.

NARRATOR: AS ONLINE
DATING SPREAD WORLDWIDE,

EACH NATION TAILORED
IT TO THEIR OWN CULTURE.

FOR SELF-EFFACING ENGLISH
DATERS, A WEBSITE FOR

"AESTHETICALLY
AVERAGE PEOPLE CAUGHT ON."

THE JAPANESE
GOVERNMENT FOUNDED THEIR OWN

STATE-RUN DATING SITE
TO BOOST THE COUNTRY'S

SAGGING FERTILITY RATE.

AND IN INDIA,
ONLINE DATING COLLIDED WITH

AGE OLD
TRADITIONS OF COURTSHIP.

MAN: FINDING THE RIGHT
PARTNER TO SPEND YOUR LIFE

WITH IS QUITE
DIFFICULT AND STRESSFUL.

RAVI PATEL: MY
PARENTS NEVER DATED,

THEY WERE ARRANGED,
THEN THEY GOT MARRIED,

THEN THEY FELL IN LOVE
AFTER YEARS OF MARRIAGE,

AND THEY MADE IT WORK.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE
THAT MANY CHOICES.

TRADITIONALLY IN INDIA,

THE FAMILIES WOULD
INTERVIEW EACH OTHER,

THE INDIVIDUALS MAY
OR MAY NOT EVEN BE INVOLVED

FOR THOSE INTERVIEWS
AND IT'S A LOT LIKE A MERGER,

LIKE A
BUSINESS MERGER.

AND THEN ONCE THEY FIGURE
OUT THE DETAILS LINED UP,

CLOSE THE DEAL.

AND THE YOUNGER
WESTERNIZED CULTURE IN INDIA,

THEY'RE ENTIRELY
COMFORTABLE WITH DATING,

THEY'RE NOT
LOOKING TO GET ARRANGED,

YET AT THE SAME TIME,

THEIR PARENTS HAVE NO
CONCEPT OF DATING OR AT

LEAST IT'S NOT
SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE.

SO YOU HAVE SPECIFICALLY
INDIAN SITES THAT ARE

MEANT TO BRING
INDIANS TOGETHER.

SHAADI.COM IS PROBABLY
THE MOST TRADITIONAL.

NARRATOR: NO PRIVATELY
PUNCHING UP YOUR DATING

PROFILE HERE, THE
WHOLE FAMILY CHECKS IN

AT THE REGISTRATION CENTER.

WOMAN: WHAT HAPPENS AT
THE CENTER IS BASICALLY

PARENTS WOULD
REGISTER FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

AND NATURALLY, PARENTS
ARE NOT SO COMPUTER SAVVY,

THEY NEED HELP SO THEN OUR
ADVISERS HELP THEM FOR THAT.

MAN: WE DIDN'T TRY TO CHANGE
THE WAY MATRIMONY WAS DONE.

WE USED THE INTERNET AS
A MEDIUM TO EXPAND THE SCOPE

OF WHAT WAS POSSIBLE.

NARRATOR: AROUND THE
WORLD, ONLINE DATING

DIDN'T JUST CATER
TO A PARTICULAR NATIONAL

CULTURE BUT TO
SEEMINGLY EVERY SUBCULTURE.

DOG: WHY ARE YOU
DATING A CITY GIRL?

MAN: I DON'T KNOW, BUDDY.

[WOMAN SCREAMING]

NARRATOR: THERE WERE
DATING SITES FOR FARMERS,

TALL PEOPLE, THE
AMISH, AND CLOWNS,

JUST TO NAME A FEW.

AND THEN ONE WEBSITE
ROCKED THE INTERNET WHEN

IT CLAIMED TO HELP
CHEATERS FIND HOOKUPS.

NARRATOR: THE MOST
NOTORIOUS ONLINE DATING

WEBSITE IS ONE THAT SEEMS
TO GLORY IN ITS AMORALITY.

JIM STICKLEY: ASHLEY
MADISON IS A WEBSITE

THAT'S DEDICATED TO
HELPING PEOPLE CHEAT ON

THEIR SPOUSES, AND
THAT'S THEIR SOLE PURPOSE,

THEY'RE VERY
UPFRONT ABOUT IT.

THEY COME
STRAIGHT OUT AND SAY,

"WE ARE TRYING TO HELP
YOU CHEAT ON YOUR SPOUSE."

AND THEY HAVE A LOT
OF PEOPLE THAT USE IT.

NARRATOR: IN ITS FIRST
10 YEARS, THE WEBSITE

REPORTEDLY GREW TO
39 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS

IN DOZENS OF COUNTRIES.

SUGGESTING CHEATING IS
NEARLY AS UNIVERSAL AS SEX.

ROBERT WEISS: ASHLEY
MADISON HAS FACILITATED

THE IDEA THAT YOU
DON'T HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH

PARTS OF YOUR MARRIAGE
THAT ARE DIFFICULT OR

CHALLENGING, YOU DON'T
HAVE TO BE A VICTIM OF

YOUR RELATIONSHIP,
JUST CHEAT.

HELEN FISHER: MAYBE SOME
OF THE PEOPLE PILING ONTO

ASHLEY MADISON ARE INDEED
SAYING, "OH, I GUESS, IF

EVERYBODY ELSE CAN DO
THIS, I CAN DO THIS TOO."

NINA HARTLEY: MOST PEOPLE
WHO CHEAT, DO NOT WANT TO

BREAK UP THEIR
MARRIAGE, THEY JUST,

ARE LOOKING FOR INTIMACY,

THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO
FIND IT WITH THEIR PARTNER.

IT'S A LITTLE LESS SCARY TO
TURN TO YOUR PARTNER AND SAY,

"I NEED TO TALK
ABOUT OUR MARRIAGE."

HELEN FISHER: I THINK THE
GREAT 21ST CENTURY ISSUE IS,

TO WHAT DEGREE DO
WE WANT INTIMACY AND

TO WHAT DEGREE
DO WE WANT AUTONOMY.

THE HUMAN ANIMAL DOES
NOT COPE WITH ADULTERY WELL.

WE ARE A JEALOUS ANIMAL.

AND IF YOU'RE CAUGHT,

THERE'S GONNA
BE HELL TO PAY.

NARRATOR:
IN ONLINE DATING,

THE PROMISE OF
DISCRETION IS A TURN ON.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
THE FIREWALL OF PRIVACY

IS SUDDENLY BREACHED?

PAMELA BROWN: A WEBSITE
THAT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO

CHEAT ON THEIR PARTNERS IS
REELING FROM A HUGE DATA BREACH.

TENS OF MILLIONS OF UNFAITHFUL
CUSTOMERS COULD BE EXPOSED.

JIM STICKLEY: A HACK
GROUP WAS ABLE TO STEAL THE

CUSTOMER DATA FROM
ASHLEY MADISON OF EVERY

ONE OF THEIR SUBSCRIBERS.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: SOMEONE
ESSENTIALLY TRIED TO

BLACKMAIL THEM AND SAY,
"LISTEN, IF YOU DON'T SHUT

THIS WEBSITE DOWN, WE
HAVE ACCESS TO ALL YOUR

MEMBERS' INFORMATION
AND WE'RE GONNA RELEASE

THAT INFORMATION
TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC."

JIM STICKLEY: ASHLEY
MADISON SAID, "NO WAY."

IN THE MEANTIME, I IMAGINE
THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT

THERE WHO BECAME VERY,
VERY NERVOUS OVERNIGHT,

AND RIGHTFULLY SO,
BECAUSE ABOUT A MONTH LATER,

THE HACK GROUP RELEASED
30 MILLION ACCOUNTS.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: EVERYONE
JUMPED ON THE FEEDING

FRENZY TO SEE
WHO WAS ON THE LIST

AND WHO THEY COULD OUT.

TED BRIDIS: THEY CAME FROM
QUITE A FEW FEDERAL AGENCIES,

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT,
HOMELAND SECURITY,

THE STATE DEPARTMENT,
THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT,

EVEN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF
THE PRESIDENT IN THE WHITEHOUSE.

NARRATOR: THE HIGH
PROFILE MEMBERSHIP LEAK

WAS ONLY THE FIRST
REVELATION ABOUT THE SITE.

RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT
UP TO 70,000 OF THE FEMALE

SUBSCRIBERS WERE BOTS
OR COMPUTER GENERATED

FAKE PROFILES.

ANDY COHEN: YOU HAD
ALL THESE STRAIGHT GUYS

THINKING
WITH THEIR [BLEEP].

ALL THE GUYS GOT BUSTED
AND THE WOMEN DIDN'T EXIST.

ANN COULTER: IT WAS JUST
THESE DORKS GOING ONLINE

AND SOMEBODY
FAKE-WRITING BACK TO THEM.

NARRATOR: FURTHER
DIGGING REVEALED THAT OUT OF

FIVE AND A HALF
MILLION FEMALE MEMBERS,

ONLY A FEW THOUSAND
WERE FLESH AND BLOOD WOMEN

INSTEAD OF BOTS.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: AND
THEN AT THE SAME TIME THIS

DIDN'T HURT
ASHLEY MADISON'S BUSINESS,

THIS WAS FREE PUBLICITY.

MEMBERSHIP ACTUALLY
WENT UP AT ASHLEY MADISON,

NOT DOWN.

ROBERT WEISS: I USED TO
KNOW WHAT INFIDELITY WAS.

IT WAS WHEN ME AND
SOMEBODY ELSE WERE HANGING

OUT IN THE COPY ROOM
AT WORK AND WE WERE KIND OF

SMOOCHING AND I
MIGHT HAVE SOME LIPSTICK

ON MY COLLAR
WHEN I CAME HOME.

I MEAN, INFIDELITY WAS
A PERSONAL ACT THAT WAS

GOING ON BETWEEN TWO
PEOPLE IN LIVE, REAL TIME.

WHAT IS INFIDELITY
IN THE DIGITAL AGE?

NARRATOR: THE INTERNET
IS CHALLENGING TRADITIONAL

NOTIONS OF CHEATING
WITH THE ADVENT OF A

WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON,
ONLINE ROLE PLAYING.

BRIAN WILLIAMS: ONE OF
THE FASTEST GROWING SITES ON

THE INTERNET IS A 3D
WORLD CALLED SECOND LIFE.

NARRATOR: THIS ROLE
PLAYING SITE AND ITS

SIMULATED WORLDS
LAUNCHED IN 2003.

IT QUICKLY GREW TO A
MILLION USERS WHO INTERACT

WITH ONE ANOTHER
THROUGH IDEALIZED VERSIONS

OF THEMSELVES
CALLED AVATARS.

THEY CAN DO EVERYTHING
FROM GOING TO CHURCH.

MAN: NATHAN CARLINE IS ATTENDING
CHURCH IN VIRTUAL REALITY.

NARRATOR: TO HAVING
A TRYST WITH OTHER USERS.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: IF YOU
CREATE A KIND OF PERSONA

OUT THERE IN A PLACE
LIKE SECOND LIFE, IT GIVES

YOU THIS TREMENDOUS
FREEDOM TO MAYBE DO THINGS

IN THAT WORLD THAT YOU
CAN'T DO IN THE REAL WORLD.

♪

NARRATOR: ONLINE SEXUAL
ROLE PLAYING FULLY ENGAGES

THE EMOTIONS AND
FANTASIES ATTACHED TO

SEX WITHOUT ANY
FLESH TO FLESH CONTACT.

BUT IT'S SO
CONVINCING THAT IT CAN

TRIGGER THE GUILT
IN SECRECY OF CHEATING.

ROBERT WEISS: CLEARLY,
WHAT THE INTERNET HAS

OFFERED IS A FASTER,
EASIER, MORE ANONYMOUS WAY

TO GET YOURSELF CAUGHT
UP IN POTENTIAL PLEASURES

THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC FOR
SOME PEOPLE AND NOT FOR OTHERS.

THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE
THAN THERE WERE IN THE PAST

GETTING HOOKED AND STUCK
IN THIS FANTASY-BASED WORLD.

DAN SAVAGE: THEY'RE
GONNA JUST CREATE A

SPACE WHERE PEOPLE WHO,
YOU KNOW, WE'RE A FANTASIZING

SPECIES WHERE PEOPLE
COULD GATHER TOGETHER AND

FANTASIZE TOGETHER RATHER
THAN JUST FANTASIZING ALONE.

BEING IN SECOND LIFE
AND [BLEEP] SOMEBODY ELSE

VIRTUALLY IS NOT CHEATING,
IT'S FANTASIZING.

WE ALL FANTASIZE.

WE FANTASIZE ABOUT
MURDERING OUR BOSS, RIGHT?

THAT AIN'T
ACTUALLY MURDER.

NARRATOR: BUT HOW DO YOU
DEFINE A RELATIONSHIP THAT

INVOLVES SEX IN REAL
TIME WITH LIVE CAMERAS?

IVY AURA: WELL,
HI TO YOU TOO, I'M IVY.

NINA HARTLEY: THE
BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

TRADITIONAL PORN
AND CAMMING IS IMMEDIACY,

IT'S REAL TIME.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: YOU
GO TO ONE OF THESE SITES,

AND YOU CLICK ONE PERSON,
AND YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION

OVER THE INTERNET.

IVY AURA: MOST CAM MODELS,
WHAT WE DO IS WE GET NAKED

AND WE MASTURBATE.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: THE
PERSON DOING THE CAMMING

IS CREATING A FANTASY FOR
YOU BUT IT'S ALSO STILL A JOB.

I THINK THAT CAM GIRLS PROVIDE
A KIND OF UNIQUE EXPERIENCE,

THEY CAN BE RIGHT
IN FRONT OF YOU ON

THAT SCREEN
AND TALK BACK TO YOU,

LISTEN TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING,
AND ADJUST WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY

DOING TO
THEMSELVES ACCORDINGLY.

IVY AURA: IT'S NICE
PEOPLE JUST GO ON AND TALK

TO PEOPLE AND JUST
KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT

ALONE IN THE
WORLD, I GUESS.

IT WAS FUN
HANGING OUT WITH YOU.

NARRATOR: CAM GIRLS
CULTIVATE RETURN CUSTOMERS

AS A WAY TO MAKE
A DEPENDABLE INCOME.

AND THAT'S THE POINT WHERE
WEBCAMMING BECOMES A NEW

KIND OF
INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP.

NINA HARTLEY: YOU DEVELOP
REGULARS IN CAMMING THE

WAY YOU DEVELOP
REGULARS IN A STRIP CLUB,

THE WAY YOU DEVELOP
REGULARS AS A BARISTA.

IVY AURA: REGULARS
ARE AWESOME.

THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT CAN
COME IN YOUR ROOM FOR WEEKS,

MONTHS, EVEN YEARS, AND
THEY'RE GONNA BE CONSISTENT.

NO, THAT'S AWESOME.

I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU.

DR. DREW PINSKY: THERE
IS THIS PSEUDO-INTIMACY,

THERE IS NOT JUST THE
AROUSAL, THE SEXUAL AROUSAL,

THERE'S SOMETHING
THAT FEELS LIKE A

RELATIONSHIP WHICH IS
PARTICULARLY DISTURBING.

IVY AURA: I TRY AND
MAKE SURE THAT BOUNDARY IS

THERE AND THAT PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND THAT I'M NOT

INTERESTED IN HAVING
A, LIKE, RELATIONSHIP,

BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE
WHERE THEY CROSS THE BOUNDARY,

THEY DO TRY AND
STALK AND HARASS ME.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: THE
CLIENTS WHO FALL IN LOVE

WITH THEIR CAM GIRLS,
THEY'RE JUST CONFUSING THE

LINES THERE BECAUSE I
THINK THAT YOU GET THIS,

SORT OF, FEEDBACK AND THIS
WARMTH AND THAT CAN ALL BE

AUTHENTIC BUT IT DOESN'T
ALSO MEAN THAT YOU HAVE A

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PERSON
WHO GAVE YOU THAT EXPERIENCE.

NARRATOR: BOUNDARIES
ARE CRUMBLING ALL OVER THE

DIGITAL LANDSCAPE.

BUT NOW, WHAT QUALIFIES THIS TOO MUCH INSTANT GRATIFICATION?

TRISTAN TAORMINO: WE
LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE WE WANT

WHAT WE WANT AND
WE WANT IT RIGHT NOW,

AND FOR
BETTER OR FOR WORSE,

TINDER CATERS TO THAT.

BRIAN GERRARD: TINDER
IS ABOUT CASUAL SEX,

QUICK AND EASY TO GET TO.

MAN: TODAY, ORBITING
SATELLITES PROVIDE ROUND

THE CLOCK, ULTRA PRECISE
POSITION FIXES FROM SPACE.

WOMAN: INFORMATION ABOUT
WHAT'S SURROUNDING YOU CAN

BE SENT TO
YOUR CELL PHONE.

MAN: AND I'M LOOKING AT
RESTAURANTS THAT ARE NEAR

WHERE WE'RE
STANDING RIGHT NOW.

NARRATOR: WHEN THE FIRST
CELL PHONE EQUIPPED WITH

GPS DEBUTED IN EUROPE
IN 1999, IT COULD LOCATE A

PERSON'S EXACT
POSITION ON THE PLANET.

IN LESS THAN A DECADE,
THEY COULD ALSO PINPOINT

YOUR NEXT POSSIBLE DATE.

SAM YAGAN: PROXIMITY IS
SUPER IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE

HAVE YOUR GPS, WE ACTUALLY
KNOW HOW CLOSE YOU ARE AND

KNOWING THAT THERE
ARE THREE PEOPLE YOU COULD

MEET RIGHT NOW FOR A
DATE IS REALLY APPEALING.

NARRATOR: THE GAY DATING
APP GRINDR CAME FIRST IN 2009,

FOLLOWED THREE YEARS LATER BY THE RUNAWAY PHENOMENON, TINDER.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: WE
LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE WE WANT

WHAT WE WANT AND
WE WANT IT RIGHT NOW,

AND FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE,
TINDER CATERS TO THAT.

ANDY COHEN: IT'S LIKE
A VIDEO GAME WITH REAL

TANGIBLE RESULTS
FOR THE WINNER.

BRIAN GERRARD: WHAT
MADE TINDER SO REVOLUTIONARY

WAS THE FACT THAT
IT WAS MUTUAL OPT-IN.

YOU SWIPE LEFT ON A
USER YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED IN

AND YOU SWIPE RIGHT ON
THOSE WHO YOU ARE INTERESTED IN.

IF TWO USERS SWIPE
RIGHT ON EACH OTHER,

IT RESULTS IN A MATCH AND
THEY COULD BEGIN CHATTING.

DANIEL: IF YOU HAVE
PICTURES WITH YOUR DOG,

I'M SWIPING
RIGHT EVERY TIME.

IF YOU HAVE A
SHIRTLESS PIC, SWIPE LEFT.

I DON'T KNOW
HOW MANY WOMEN HAVE SAID,

"HELLO, NICE
BEARD," WHICH IS, LIKE,

SYNONYMOUS OF NICE
[BLEEP] THESE DAYS APPARENTLY.

BRIAN GERRARD: IT'S ABOUT,
HOW CAN I FIND A GIRL OR

GUY TONIGHT IN THE PALM
OF MY HANDS BECAUSE I DIDN'T

MEET ANYBODY AT THE
BAR, THAT'S THE CULTURE.

DEVYN SIMONE: I MET
MY FIANCE ON TINDER AND

I NEVER WOULD'VE MET MY
FIANCE IF IT WEREN'T FOR

TINDER BECAUSE WE DIDN'T
RUN IN THE SAME CIRCLES.

I ALMOST SWIPED LEFT
ON HIM BECAUSE HE HAD NO

FRIENDS IN HIS PHOTOS
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS WEIRD,

BUT I FIGURED WHY
NOT, AND 14 MONTHS LATER,

WE WERE ENGAGED.

SAM YAGAN: AND IN THE
CASE WHERE SOMEONE DOES FIND

A LONG TERM FITTED
RELATIONSHIP THAT ENDS

IN A MARRIAGE OR
WHATEVER, THEN GUESS WHAT,

WE ARE PART OF THAT
COUPLE'S STORY FOREVER.

AND WHEN SOMEONE SAYS,
"HOW DID YOU MEET?"

THEY'RE GONNA SAY,
"I MET ON TINDER.

I MET ON MATCH."

ANN COULTER: I THINK
TINDER SOUNDS SO FANTASTIC.

IF I WERE
NOT A PUBLIC FIGURE,

I WOULD TOTALLY DO TINDER.

NARRATOR: BUT LIKE MOST
TECHNOSEXUAL BREAKTHROUGHS,

MOBILE DATING APPS
CAN SHORT CIRCUIT

PEOPLE'S SEXUAL WIRING.

RAVI PATEL: WHEN I
FIRST STARTED TINDER,

I WAS LIKE, "OH,
REALLY DISCERNING,"

LIKE, KIND OF, DELIBERATE,
EACH, BUT THEN OVER TIME,

YOU REALIZE IT'S A VOLUME
GAME AND YOU'RE JUST, LIKE,

YES, YES, YES, YES, YES.

ANN COULTER: I HAVE
FRIENDS WHO DO IT AND

THEY MEET DIFFERENT
GUYS FOR COFFEE ALL DAY.

BRIAN GERRARD: I
PERSONALLY BELIEVE THERE

IS SUCH THING AS TOO
MANY HOOKUPS WHERE WE'LL

ACTUALLY START TO
HAVE THE NEGATIVE EFFECT.

THE NUMBER ONE WORD I'VE
HEARD PEOPLE SAY WHEN THEY

LEAVE A HOOK UP
AND YOU KNOW THAT IT'S

BECOME TOO MUCH IS EMPTY.

RAVI PATEL: I WAS, KIND OF,
TEARING THROUGH WOMEN

AND I REALIZE THAT,
LIKE, THERE WAS, LIKE,

A DIFFERENT, KIND OF,
CHEMICAL RELATIONSHIP

I HAD WITH WOMEN, ALMOST
LIKE I'D COMMODITIZED THEM.

ANDY COHEN: YOU BECOME
DESENSITIZED WHEN THERE'S

SO MANY CUTE PEOPLE THAT
YOU'RE JUST SWIPING THROUGH,

SO IT'S ALL VERY,
JUST EMPTY.

NARRATOR: IN 2014,
TINDER CEO CLAIMED THAT

THEY REACHED THE
STAGGERING MILESTONE OF

ONE BILLION MATCHES.

BRIAN GERRARD: JUST KNOW THAT
FROM THE BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE,

THERE ARE DATING
APPS OUT THERE THAT

PROFIT OFF OF THE ABILITY
OF PEOPLE TO NOT GET MATCHES.

CORPORATIONS ARE
DEFINITELY TRYING TO

CREATE A HOOKUP CULTURE,
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE HOOKING UP,

YOU CAN DO
THAT FOREVER.

THE LONGER YOU
STAY ON THE APP,

THE MORE ADVERTISEMENTS
THEY CAN SERVE TO YOU.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: IF
I WERE A LITTLE DICTATOR,

I WOULD FORBID THEM BUT
I CAN'T FORBID THEM SO WE

HAVE TO USE THEM
IN, INTELLIGENTLY.

HELEN FISHER: A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE AFRAID THAT

TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING
SEX AND CHANGING LOVE.

IT CAN'T CHANGE
THESE BRAIN CIRCUITS.

THESE BRAIN
CIRCUITS ARE, LIKE,

THE FEAR SYSTEM AND THE
ANGER SYSTEM IN THE BRAIN.

THEY EVOLVE
MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO.

THEY'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE.

BUT COURTSHIP IS CHANGING,

TECHNOLOGY IS
CHANGING HOW WE COURT.

NARRATOR: SO HOW WILL WE
COPE WITH THE NEXT WAVE OF

HYPER-REAL SYNTHESIZE SEX?

PETER RUBIN: AT SOME
POINT TECHNOLOGY IS GONNA

PROGRESS TO THE POINT
WHERE A VIRTUAL OR DIGITAL

EXPERIENCE IS
GONNA BE PERCEPTUALLY

INDISTINGUISHABLE IN
EVERY WAY FROM A REAL ONE.

SO WHAT HAPPENS THEN?

NARRATOR: BACK WHEN THE
SEXUAL REVOLUTION BEGAN,

THIS IS AS CLOSE AS WE
GOT TO THREE-DIMENSIONAL

VIRTUAL REALITY.

FLASH FORWARD TO 65 YEARS
OF TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS.

ELA DARLING: MY
NAME IS ELA DARLING,

WELCOME TO MY BEDROOM
IN VIRTUAL REALITY.

I LOVE TAKING
PEOPLE'S VRGINITY.

IT IS SO FUN WATCHING
PEOPLE TRY VIRTUAL REALITY

FOR THE FIRST TIME.

GO AHEAD.

TAKE A LOOK AROUND.

WOMAN: OH.

MAN: WOW.

ELA DARLING: VIRTUAL
REALITY IS A NEW KIND OF

TECHNOLOGY WHERE YOU PUT
ON SOMETHING THAT CALLED

THE HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY
AND THEY'RE A BINOCULAR

SCREEN SO THERE IS ONE
IMAGE SENT TO YOUR RIGHT

EYE AND ONE IMAGE SENT
TO YOUR LEFT EYE SO IT'S 3D

AND YOU PUT IT ON.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND,
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE

ACTUALLY IN ANOTHER SPACE,
YOU CAN SEE THE THINGS

THAT YOU WOULD SEE IF YOU
WERE ACTUALLY TURNING YOUR

HEAD IN THE SPACE
THAT YOU'RE SEEING.

PETER RUBIN: IF IT'S DONE
RIGHT, THEN YOUR BRAIN IS

REALLY GONNA
BELIEVE YOU'RE IN THERE,

AND MORE IMPORTANT THAN
THAT IS YOUR BODY IS GOING TO

REACT CONSISTENTLY WITH
WHAT YOUR BRAIN IS THINKING.

SO IF YOU WERE IN VR
AND YOU WERE STANDING AT THE

EDGE OF A BUILDING,
AND SOMEBODY ASK YOU TO TAKE

A STEP OFF, YOUR RATIONAL
BRAIN WOULD TELL YOU THAT

IT'S OKAY TO DO IT BUT I
HAVE MYSELF EXPERIENCED THIS,

YOU WON'T TAKE THAT STEP
FORWARD FOR THE LIFE OF YOU.

ELA DARLING: WITH VIRTUAL
REALITY, YOU CAN FEEL LIKE

YOU'RE AT THE TOP OF A
MOUNTAIN OR AT THE BOTTOM

OF THE SEA, YOU CAN
FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN SPACE,

YOU CAN FEEL LIKE
YOU'RE IN SOMEONE'S BEDROOM.

THIS IS MY ACTUAL BEDROOM
WHERE I REALLY SLEEP AND

[BLEEP] EVERY DAY AND
YOU CAN SEE ME HERE ANYTIME

LIVE IN VR.

DR. DREW PINSKY: I'M VERY
CONCERN ABOUT VIRTUAL REALITY.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
REALITY AND VIRTUAL REALITY

IS SUBTLE FOR OUR BRAIN,

THESE ARE INSTRUMENTS THAT
ARE JUST ACCUMULATING SENSORY

INFORMATION AND
TRYING TO RESPOND FROM A

CORE SENSE OF SELF.

WE ARE NOT
EVOLVED FOR THIS.

MAN: HEY BROS,
NEED SOMETHING TO LIVEN

UP THE OFFICE?

MAN 2: YEAH, I GUESS SO.

MAN: WELL, TRY THE ALL
NEW VR PORN AT PORNHUB.COM.

MAN 2: HEY, GIVE ME THAT.

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.

DR. DREW PINSKY: IT
ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT

WE CAN GET LOST
IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD.

ELA DARLING: I'M
WAITING FOR YOU.

DR. DREW PINSKY: SOME MEN
MAY CEASE TO WALK AMONGST US.

THEY'RE JUST OUT THERE
IN THEIR VIRTUAL LIFE.

PETER RUBIN: I'VE SEEN
A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, AFTER

THEY CONSUMED VR
PORN FOR THE FIRST TIME,

"I CAN IMAGINE WHY ANYBODY
WOULD TRY IT ANY OTHER WAY."

YOU'RE NOT IN YOUR
HOME ANYMORE WHEN YOU

PUT ON A VR DEVICE.

YOU ARE IN THE ROOM WHERE THIS
PORN EXPERIENCE WAS CREATED.

NARRATOR: THIS NEW FORM
OF REALITY IS SO PERSUASIVE

THAT IF YOU DARE, IT CAN
CHALLENGE YOUR DEEPEST

ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT SEX.

ELA DARLING: I HAD A
FRIEND WHO'D HAD HIS FIRST

VR EXPERIENCE AND IT WAS
A FEMALE POINT OF VIEW PORN

WHERE HE FELT LIKE HE
WAS IN A FEMALE BODY HAVING

SEX WITH A DUDE, AND
WHEN HE WAS IN THAT MOMENT,

HE FELT VULNERABLE,
HE FELT VIOLATED.

IT COMPLETELY CHANGED
THE WAY THAT HE SEES SEX

AND IT CHANGED THE WAY
THAT HE HAS SEX WITH WOMEN.

AND ONE VIRTUAL REALITY
PORN SCENE WAS ENOUGH TO

DO THAT AND
THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

PETER RUBIN: AT SOME
POINT, TECHNOLOGY IS GOING

TO PROGRESS TO THE POINT
WHERE A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE

IS GONNA BE PERCEPTUALLY
INDISTINGUISHABLE IN EVERY

WAY FROM A REAL ONE.

SO WHAT HAPPENS THEN?

NARRATOR: OF COURSE,
THE BEST TECHNOLOGY WILL

ALWAYS BE A POOR
SUBSTITUTE FOR GOOD SEX,

BUT THAT DOESN'T STOP THE JUGGERNAUT AT THE DIGITAL AGE.

IT OVER GRATIFIES OUR
SENSES WHILE PROBING FOR

WEAKNESSES IN OUR
PERSONAL INTIMACIES.

LIKE IT OR NOT,

HUMAN BEINGS ARE
PERMANENTLY WIRED FOR SEX.

ROBERT WEISS: I'M ALWAYS
AMUSED WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE

MY AGE TALKING
ABOUT WHAT KIDS ARE

DOING TODAY AROUND SEX.

OH, MY GOD, THEY'RE
SEXTING EACH OTHER AND OH,

MY GOD, THEY HAVE ACCESS
TO ALL THESE SEXUAL IMAGES.

MY GENERATION DOESN'T
REMEMBER WHAT OUR PARENTS

SAID ABOUT SEX, DRUGS,
AND ROCK AND ROLL.

DAN SAVAGE: TECHNOLOGY
DISCONNECTS US, PEOPLE SAY,

BUT EVERYWHERE,
THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT

PEOPLE USE TECHNOLOGY
TO FIND CONNECTION.

EVERYTHING
AT OUR DISPOSAL,

WE SEEM TO
EMPLOY TO CONNECT.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER:
ALL OF THESE NEW INVENTIONS,

THEY SHOULD BE
USED BUT THEY HAVE TO

BE USED WITH INTELLIGENCE.

ESTER PEREL: I CAN'T
THINK OF ANYONE WHO LIVES

IN TODAY'S ERA THAT
WOULD LIKE TO GO BACKWARDS.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
WHERE WE ARE AT IS PROBLEM-FREE.

SO IS THE CHANGE POSITIVE?

THE CHANGE JUST IS.

DR. DREW PINSKY: WE NEED
TO USE THIS IN WAYS THAT

DON'T SEPARATE US,

DON'T MAKE US EMPTY
BUT BRING US TOGETHER.

DAVID EISENBACH: WE CAN CONNECT,
WE CAN COMMUNICATE,

AND THERE IS NO
SHUTTING THAT DOWN.