With one in 10 Americans reporting having used an online dating site or app, it’s safe to say that dating has gone digital. And while it may be easy for a potential suitor to bare their soul on their dating profile or through a personal message, it might not always be easy to learn some essential dating details — such as their history of sexually transmitted diseases.
This can be potentially dangerous for not only an unsuspecting partner, but the carrier themselves.
And part of the reason for such a lack of transparency in this area is because many don’t even know if they are carrying an STD. While many women are tested annually at their OBGYN clinic, men don’t typically undergo STD testing unless they request it themselves.
Now Tinder, the popular dating app, will be providing information regarding testing locations for sexually transmitted diseases, making it easier for prospective daters to find ways to engage in safer sex.
The move was prompted by a push from the AIDS Health Foundation, a California advocacy group that launched a campaign last fall, linking the dating app with the spread of STDs. In response, Tinder wrote a cease-and-desist letter.
But with Tinder’s latest addition to their app, the AIDS Health Foundation has halted their campaign.
While Tinder failed to comment on the letter, the mobile dating app company did respond to the foundation’s claims that mobile dating apps contribute to the rate of STDs in America. Tinder responded:
“An important aspect of any healthy relationship — whether formed on Tinder or otherwise — is ensuring sexual health and safety. While the CDC, who conducted the largest and most credible study on the topic, has never identified any connection that supports the idea that Tinder usage correlates with, let alone causes, an increase in STDs, we’re of course in favor of organizations that provide public education resources on the topic.”