Five Things You Can Ask Bots About Relationships and Your Body

Chatbots can do a lot of things these days — they can do our homework, take notes in meetings, and brainstorm with us. But did you know that a bot can also help you find answers to your questions about sex and relationships?

But before you hit up a bot with all of your sex questions, here are a few things to think about:

1. Your data and privacy is important.
   Think about who owns your data, and who can see your conversations. Do you feel comfortable with these systems having a record of the conversations you’ve had with them? Do you share a computer with anyone who could possibly see what you talked about with the bot?
   
   Quick plug: Planned Parenthood’s AI-powered sex ed chatbot, Roo, was built specifically for teens to ask questions about relationships, sex, and their bodies in an anonymous and safe way. We won’t know who you are, and your browser history won’t store the conversation.
    
2. Some bots may not know the nuances of your specific situation.
   Roo, for instance, only responds to your questions with answers in the size of a tweet. That means Roo can only give basic answers to your questions and can’t understand every part of your situation or build on what you’ve previously asked. Other bots provide longer responses, and can also build on top of that. 

So you’re ready to get personal with a bot, but you’re not sure where to start? Here are five sexual health questions to help you get the conversation going:

1. How do I use a tampon?
   Instantly find out about different types of period products, and how to use them.
    
2. Can you get pregnant while you’re on your period?
   Spoiler alert: You can. A bot can help you understand how pregnancy happens.
    
3. How do I ask someone out?
   A bot can help you treat the person you’re interested in with respect and dignity, and teach you about consent.
    
4. Does sex hurt?
   Sex isn’t supposed to hurt. A bot can help you think through all the reasons — mental and physical — sex can feel not great sometimes, as well as how to make it feel better.
    
5. How can I prevent sexually transmitted infections?
   Bots are all about safer sex, which is a great subject to bone up on before you, well, bone. 

Ready to press send? Meet Roo