Private: Government Abstinence Program Hits the Web

The government has taken its teen abstinence-only campaign to the Internet, with www.4parents.gov. Some of the tips provided to parents on talking to teens about sex:

- From the page titled "The Facts:" "Be firm in your decision to delay sex...Find a keepsake to use as a daily reminder of your decision such as a ring, necklace, or a pocket stone." - an example of a "Conversation Starter:" "Some guys go out for a good time over the weekend, and end up with thousands of dollars taken out of their paychecks for the next 18 years. Do you know how that could happen?"- From the conclusion of the page "Talk About Condoms:" "The only sure way to avoid STDs is to wait until marriage to have sex, choose a partner who has also waited or who is uninfected and share a faithful life together."

More than 100 groups (including the ACLU, Human Rights Campaign, and Planned Parenthood) have signed onto a letter from the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States calling for the site's removal. The groups say "emphasizing abstinence is fine... but the government also should stress the need for contraception if sexual relations do occur." Daily Kos also points us to a study "that showed that teens who pledge abstinence are not only almost as likely to be infected with an STD, but they're also more likely to have anal or oral sex."