Is Social Media to Blame for the Sharp Rise in STDs?

Rhode Island, New Zealand, and southern California recently reported sharp increases in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Health department officials stated that these increases appeared to be due to the more widespread use of social media like Tinder, Grindr, and Facebook, which allow users to...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Carl Enomoto, Sajid Noor, Benjamin Widner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2017-07-01
Series:Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/6/3/78
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author Carl Enomoto
Sajid Noor
Benjamin Widner
author_facet Carl Enomoto
Sajid Noor
Benjamin Widner
author_sort Carl Enomoto
collection DOAJ
description Rhode Island, New Zealand, and southern California recently reported sharp increases in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Health department officials stated that these increases appeared to be due to the more widespread use of social media like Tinder, Grindr, and Facebook, which allow users to readily connect with and meet others. The purpose of this study was to see if U.S. states that have more users of social networking sites, dating sites, and dating apps like Match.com, Ashley Madison, Our Time, Down Dating, Bumble, Zoosk, Hinge, Score, At First Sight, Plenty of Fish, Eharmony, Adult Friend Finder, Tinder, Grindr, and Facebook have more cases of STDs after controlling for population, race, age, income, education, and population density. It was found that states with more users of Match.com, OKCupid, and Down Dating had a larger number of cases of STDs, while states with more users of Our Time, Ashley Madison, Facebook, How About We, Hinge, Adult Friend Finder, Grindr, Bumble, Score, Tinder, and At First Sight had fewer cases of STDs. While social networking sites make it easier for individuals to be exposed to an STD since in-network individuals may share an STD, many sites either attract individuals who are not interested in a short-term sexual relationship or who take precautions to avoid contracting an STD.
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spelling doaj.art-e175107808fc4d5f8d7099527e55f7a92022-12-22T03:05:29ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602017-07-01637810.3390/socsci6030078socsci6030078Is Social Media to Blame for the Sharp Rise in STDs?Carl Enomoto0Sajid Noor1Benjamin Widner2College of Business, New Mexico State University; Las Cruces, NM 88003, USACollege of Business, New Mexico State University; Las Cruces, NM 88003, USACollege of Business, New Mexico State University; Las Cruces, NM 88003, USARhode Island, New Zealand, and southern California recently reported sharp increases in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Health department officials stated that these increases appeared to be due to the more widespread use of social media like Tinder, Grindr, and Facebook, which allow users to readily connect with and meet others. The purpose of this study was to see if U.S. states that have more users of social networking sites, dating sites, and dating apps like Match.com, Ashley Madison, Our Time, Down Dating, Bumble, Zoosk, Hinge, Score, At First Sight, Plenty of Fish, Eharmony, Adult Friend Finder, Tinder, Grindr, and Facebook have more cases of STDs after controlling for population, race, age, income, education, and population density. It was found that states with more users of Match.com, OKCupid, and Down Dating had a larger number of cases of STDs, while states with more users of Our Time, Ashley Madison, Facebook, How About We, Hinge, Adult Friend Finder, Grindr, Bumble, Score, Tinder, and At First Sight had fewer cases of STDs. While social networking sites make it easier for individuals to be exposed to an STD since in-network individuals may share an STD, many sites either attract individuals who are not interested in a short-term sexual relationship or who take precautions to avoid contracting an STD.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/6/3/78STDssocial mediaMatch.comOKCupidDown Datingsocial networking
spellingShingle Carl Enomoto
Sajid Noor
Benjamin Widner
Is Social Media to Blame for the Sharp Rise in STDs?
Social Sciences
STDs
social media
Match.com
OKCupid
Down Dating
social networking
title Is Social Media to Blame for the Sharp Rise in STDs?
title_full Is Social Media to Blame for the Sharp Rise in STDs?
title_fullStr Is Social Media to Blame for the Sharp Rise in STDs?
title_full_unstemmed Is Social Media to Blame for the Sharp Rise in STDs?
title_short Is Social Media to Blame for the Sharp Rise in STDs?
title_sort is social media to blame for the sharp rise in stds
topic STDs
social media
Match.com
OKCupid
Down Dating
social networking
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/6/3/78
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