As we
discussed in class, online dating has gone mainstream. A 2013 poll conducted by the Pew Research
Center found that 59% of Americans now believe the internet is a perfectly
respectable place to seek out partners. (Firger, 2015)
Unfortunately,
at the same time, some recent data from the health departments of Rhode Island
and Houston have shown an increase in STDs for 2014 vs. 2013, after declines
tracking back to 2009. The numbers are
alarming. In Rhode Island syphilis
increased by 79%, HIV by 33% and gonorrhea by 30%. Similar data has been released in Wales, and
the Philippines, suggesting this is a global trend. (Sass, 2015)
Clearly
some kind of awareness building campaign for safe sex is overdue.
This
week the AIDS Healthcare Foundation decided to take matters into their own
hands and released this billboard on more than 20 locations and 100 bus benches
in Los Angeles.
Tinder immediately sent a cease and desist letter to the foundation.
The
foundation responded by declining to remove the references to Tinder saying:
"AHF has not made any false or disparaging statements against Tinder and
therefore has no reason to cease making any such statements." (Ziv, 2015)
I
guess we'll have to see what happens next.
In the
meantime however, what do you think? What
are they trying to accomplish? And, will
this be an effective campaign?
Keeping
in mind the audience for the effort and what we have learned about persuasion, can
you think of a more effective way to motivate people to get their free
checkups?
Firger,
J. (2015, May 30) Should Dating Apps
Help Promote Safe Sex? newsweek.com. Retrieved October 1, 2015, from
Sass,
E. (2015, September 29) Tinder Wants STD
Billboard Removed. mediapost.com. Retrieved
October 1, 2015, from
Ziv,
S. (2015, September 30) Tinder Clashes
With AIDS Healthcare Foundation Over STD Billboard. newsweek.com. Retrieved October 1, 2015, from
