Study Recommends Changes For Gay Online Hookup Sites To Decrease HIV/STD Transmission

Thanks to a proliferation of GPS-based and online hookup sites for gay guys, getting booty has never been easier. Unfortunately, it's also never been easier to pick-up a little something extra on the side. To counteract the high risk of STD transmission among men who have sex with men online, a study, funded by amFAR and conducted in cooperation with owners of sites and apps, users and HIV and STD awareness groups, has recommended a handful of ways hookup businesses in the digital age can encourage their members to practice safe sex. So, what are they?

Including "safe sex" as a profile option and allowing users to search for partners by such characteristics
Providing directories of STD testing locations
Sending automatic reminders to get an HIV or STD test at regular intervals chosen by users
Having chat-rooms and other areas for HIV-positive men looking for other HIV-positive men
Providing e-cards to notify partners of a potential exposure to STDs
Posting videos that show men discussing safe sex, HIV status, and related issues
Providing access to sexual health experts

Business partners involved in the study were, for the most part, cooperative and supportive of the recommendations. However, according to the Bilerico Project, "Website owners expressed skepticism about health department staff going online to notify users that they might have been exposed to an STD. In contrast, a majority of HIV and STD prevention directors and users thought this strategy was important. The authors are planning follow-up meetings with owners to further understand their concerns."

How would you feel about signing onto Grindr, for example, and seeing any one of these changes in place? Do you think it's the responsibility of site/app owners to make sure users are saturated with STD information?

(Source and image source: The Bilerico Project)