With sexual assaults on college campuses drawing national attention, a new phone app was introduced to ensure sexual encounters would be completely and unmistakably consensual. However, the app was so complicated that some wondered whether it was better to stick to holding hands.

Prospective couples who would’ve used the Good2Go App were taken through a series of questions and prompts, ranging from their age to how intoxicated they were to their current state of willingness. They would input a battery of codes and passwords. Throughout the entire process, the app gently reminded users consent could be withdrawn at any time.

The whole process took several minutes, but perhaps that was part of the point. The app’s FAQ said its process gave the “opportunity for two people to pause and reflect on what they really want to do, rather than entering an encounter that might lead to something one or both will later regret.”

Creator Lee Ann Allman developed the app with input from her college-age kids, noting the rise in sexual assaults on college campuses. “Kids are so used to having technology that helps them with issues in their lives,” she said. (Slate)

APP Now Closed.

Paul Asay has written for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for PluggedIn and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He recently collaborated with Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, on his book The Good Dad. He lives in Colorado Springs with wife, Wendy, and his two children. Check out his entertainment blog at Patheos.com/blogs/WatchingGod or follow him on Twitter.