Are manufacturers encouraging bad habits by including warnings that are… ridiculous?

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Petite Valentine

We've all seen the stupid info on packaging or product listings (here and elsewhere):

— "This toy is sold as a novelty only"
— "Dildo is intended for external use only" ( Found on the Fleshlight site)
— "Not for children under 3 yrs." ( Found on a Cal Exotics Butterfly listing)
— "For diagnosis of neurological function" ( Found on a Wartenburg Wheel listing)

(You can add any funny ones you've found to the comments below.)

Most of us laugh it off and ignore them, but there are warnings that we should pay attention to. For example:

— Do not use on unexplained calf pain.

Calf pain can be a sign of blood clots, and using a massager to relieve the ache can cause deep vein thromboses to break off and travel to the heart or lungs, i.e. something very bad.

How are buyers supposed to tell the difference between a valid warning, and what is cover-your-ass legalese?

Are manufacturers encouraging bad habits by including warnings that are… ridiculous?

Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):

By putting silly CYA warnings they're encouraging buyers to ignore all of them.

Silly CYA warnings encourage buyers to ignore warnings, but manufacturers don't have a choice about it.

AnotherBrother , ToyGeek , AlianneCimorene , Bex1331 , meitman , Gunsmoke , unfulfilled , ghalik , Lavendar , laflauta , eeep , molly , LavenderSkies , SexyTabby

CYA warnings are silly, but consumers should be able to tell which are legitimate.

Bullfroggy and Rose , AnotherBrother , LAndJ , Kissaki , talon4196 , Cora Jane , hot lil momma , unfulfilled , MadameErotique , hybridinsurge , Lioncub , ghalik , Taylor , Feisty , ellieprobable , kitty1949 , GONE! , eeep , Zandrock , charmedtomeetyou , LavenderSkies , The Majikat

Other (please comment)

Ansley , Peggi , *Camoprincess*

The Legal Llama bills $325/hr

Ansley , Chilipepper , deltalima , travelnurse , Peggi , Loriandhubby , EvilHomer , AnotherBrother , OhMy! , Yaoi Pervette (deleted) , SneakersAndPearls , AlianneCimorene , Master DarkWolf , DreamWolf , Cora Jane , hot lil momma , mpfm , married with children , Mamastoys , ghalik , Taylor , kitty1949 , Gdom , Petite Valentine , konicaguy , LavenderSkies , sweetpea12 , roskat

Total votes: 67 (52 voters)

Poll is closed

07/09/2012

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Chilipepper

It's not related to sex toys, but one toaster I had included the warning "Do not put gelatinous materials in the toaster."

Apparently, some idiot actually did this (probably jelly on bread) and sued, so they had to include the warning.

No matter how many warnings, the universe will make a bigger idiot who will find new and unique ways of messing up.

07/09/2012

Ansley

I think the only thing that can be disregarded on the warnings is "this is for novelty use only", the rest of it? I think I'd be paying attention to those things. Especially when it comes to electro-shock equipment.

07/09/2012

Ansley

Quote:

Originally posted by Chilipepper

Isn't Darwin grand?

07/09/2012

deltalima

Quote:

Originally posted by Petite Valentine

I think they have a theory, better safe than sorry?

07/09/2012

Petite Valentine

Quote:

Originally posted by Ansley

Wait… are you saying "Dildo is intended for external use only" should be taken seriously?

07/09/2012

Peggi

I do see what you're saying, and for someone who is new to toys or who doesn't understand yet how to use them (newbies who may not have access to information the way we do) it can be confusing and possibly cause them to either ignore all of the warnings or listen to all of them and not get full use out of the toy...

But I would imagine that most people would know the difference between something like your calf pain example and, say, not for children under 3 years.

Because of course you won't hand your 3 year old a vibrator, but I feel that the calf-pain thing goes right along with some of the warnings like "do not use on broken skin" etc that you see on some toys and massagers.

Unfortunately, there are people who do stupid things that result in warnings needing to be placed, so really, they have no choice but to do it.

07/09/2012

Ansley

Quote:

Originally posted by Petite Valentine

Wait… are you saying "Dildo is intended for external use only" should be taken seriously?

For some, yes. Ultimately what I'm saying is one should use common sense.

07/09/2012

Bullfroggy and Rose

Quote:

Originally posted by Ansley

For some, yes. Ultimately what I'm saying is one should use common sense.

True, but common sense is not that common

07/09/2012

AnotherBrother

Quote:

Originally posted by Petite Valentine

Wait… are you saying "Dildo is intended for external use only" should be taken seriously?

Considering how terrifying some materials can be, I can see it being honest.

For example, material fleshlights are made out of (non-silicone) actually reacts badly to soap and water. It can cause chemical burns. It's also very porous and can house bacteria. And then there's jelly dongs which can burn without any sort of weird soap-water reactions.

Now, imagine the havoc it could create if a lady decided to insert a non body safe material into herself for a lark. Even worse, what if it got lost up someone's bottom or some crazy tried to swallow it?

The warning sounds silly, but people can be very silly which can be very bad sometimes. Covering yourself legally is wise.

07/09/2012

LAndJ

There must be some reason the silly ones are on there.

07/09/2012

OhMy!

The other thing to consider is that they have to sell most of this stuff as novelties. If they sold them as true sexual health aids, they would be regulated and then subject to stricter codes (and possibly a prescription). Since they want to avoid that, they classify many of these things as novelties. The rest, is up to you...which is why it's important to pay attention to the ingredients/materials.

07/09/2012

Yaoi Pervette (deleted)

Quote:

Originally posted by Chilipepper

Agreed. Sex toys aren't the only products that get crazy warnings. I read about a warning on a chainsaw that stated that the user should not attempt to stop the moving blade with his/her hand. Ya think?! The sad thing is that some buffoon probably did just that and sued.

07/09/2012

ToyGeek

There are places where sex toys are illegal, unless they're a novelty, intended only as a joke. Laws are stupid.

07/09/2012

Petite Valentine

Quote:

Originally posted by AnotherBrother

For the record, it's made from "the highest quality, platinum cured silicone" and the copy reads, "It's your turn to get staked."

That doesn't sound like external use only to me.

I should add, I understand why companies do it, I just worry that people new to toys will cease to pay attention to warnings. I know I laughed when I first encountered "unexplained calf pain" on a warning label, and that was because it was next to "for external use only" on a product that was marketed for penetration.

07/09/2012

talon4196

Some of them are funny.

07/09/2012

Bex1331

I think it's silly that they do this, people are programed to ignore them because most of them are moronic but unfortunately people are dumb enough to sue for stupid stuff so it has to remain on the packaging

07/09/2012

meitman

Quote:

Originally posted by Bullfroggy and Rose

True, but common sense is not that common

Exactly! When did common sense stop being relevant to people?

I think a lot of the warnings now are down right ridiculous, but you know the company puts them on the product because they got slapped with a stupid lawsuit somewhere down the line. Just sad sometimes.

07/09/2012

Master DarkWolf

There ARE people who don't have the basic logical thinking when it comes to being careful with certain things. Like hot coffee cups, you can look it up why such notes exist.

07/09/2012

DreamWolf

Quote:

Originally posted by Master DarkWolf

There ARE people who don't have the basic logical thinking when it comes to being careful with certain things. Like hot coffee cups, you can look it up why such notes exist.

Oh hell yeah you won't believe yer eyes!!! ^^

07/09/2012

Gunsmoke

Get use to living in the Nanny State - it can only get worse. Soon the gov't will be protecting you from yourself on all fronts by regulating what you can and cannot eat. Don't be surprised the ridiculous CYA messages - try to see the humor in them!

07/10/2012

Zombirella

Quote:

Originally posted by Chilipepper

Pretty much what she said. Those "stupid" warnings are there because someone sadly IS that stupid and did it, like "Caution: Remove infant before folding for storage." on a stroller....REALLY?! Or warnings on a hair dryer that it is not to be used in the bathtub or why a curling iron says "for external use only" or warnings on bug sprays and such to not spray in eyes or mouth.

A huge wtf/sad but true list:
link

07/10/2012

*Camoprincess*

Someone somewhere has had to try and do thing that the warnings tell you not to do in order for them to make warning labels that state such things.

07/10/2012

Petite Valentine

Quote:

Originally posted by Zombirella

That link just robbed me of a little more faith in humanity.

07/10/2012

unfulfilled

They have to include these things because otherwise they'd get sued.

07/10/2012

married with children

they are there because someone was stupid enough to make a bad choice and someone got hurt because of it. then they sued. government over regulation at its finest.

07/11/2012

Mamastoys

I think they feel led to put those crazy warnings on things because someone didn't have enough common sense not to do them in the past and they were taken to court. common sense isn't so common anymore!!!

07/16/2012

ellieprobable

This is why the FDA needs to regulate these items to some extent.

08/19/2012

kitty1949

If anything it gives me a good laugh.

08/19/2012

GONE!

Maybe they should put the really important ones in a different color or font on the packaging.

08/20/2012

Total posts: 37 Unique posters: 32

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