The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that the number of cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea in the United States has increased after being in decline for several years. The Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation has connected the increase to the rise in online dating.
AHF, the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and services to over 575,000 individuals in 35 countries worldwide.
Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are the three most common STDs in the U.S.
“The majority of these infections are affecting young people – the demographic that is on their mobile phones all day long,” Whitney Engeran Cordova, senior director of the Public Health Division for the AHF, said.
In September 2015, the AHF launched an advocacy and awareness campaign focusing on sexual health and safety on dating sites in Los Angeles and New York City. The campaign included billboards depicting silhouettes of couples with the words “Tinder” written over one person and “chlamydia” written over the other. AHF suggested that casual dating sites like Tinder and Grindr are contributing to the rising rates of STDs and urged people to get tested.
Since then, Tinder has added a Health Safety section and a link to free HIV and STD testing site locator Healthvana, according to Tinder in a statement.
Because of these improvements, the AHF has said it will remove the billboards and ads implicating Tinder.
Tinder’s decision to add Healthvana was prompted by the AHF’s strong advertising method.
“An important aspect of any healthy relationship – whether formed on Tinder or otherwise – is ensuring sexual health and safety,” Tinder’s lead sociologist Jessica Carbino said in the statement. “We’d be delighted to see other major social networks follow in our footsteps in educating the public.”