CarnalNation

Once upon a time, the graphic shorthand for someone enjoying the warm glow of post-coital bliss was to show them relaxing in bed, slowly smoking a cigarette. Unfortunately, all that post-sex smoking meant that in addition to STIs, pregnancy, and heartache, sleeping around also put you at increased risk for lung cancer. Nowadays, the kids do things differently, at least according to a survey done by shopping website Retreveo.com. For a significant number of young people, the cell phone has replaced the cigarette of Mad Men-style sex. Retreveo says that 36 percent of people under 35 post to social networking services like Twitter and Facebook after having sex. Eight percent of those over 35 did so. "Moreover," Retreveo says, "men are twice as likely to exhibit this behavior than women and if you’re an iPhone owner you’re three times more likely to go social media after you-know-what than Blackberry owners." Thirty-four percent of the under-35 group also said that they would frequently post updates while on a date, in contrast to 9 percent of those over 35.

We really wonder about the iPhone statistic, not merely out of curiosity but also what such a statistic will do to the reputations of the CarnalNation staff, most of whom have iPhones, once it gets out. Is it because iPhone owners are younger and more hooked into social networks? Is it because the ergonomics of the iPhone are friendlier to typing with your thumbs right after a screaming orgasm? Or is it because all the corporate types are shy about posting their intimate details from their work phone? Obviously Retreveo's survey is only a starting point for looking at how people use social networking sites, but it's likely to become even more interesting (and weird) in the future.