Facebook linked to rise in syphilis

[The Straight Story]

Facebook linked to rise in syphilis


A British public health expert has blamed Facebook for a resurgence of the sexually-transmitted disease syphilis, but Australian STI researchers have called the claim "far fetched".

Data published by several British newspapers this week indicated that cases of syphilis had increased fourfold in Sunderland, Durham and Teesside - the areas of Britain where Facebook is most popular.

Professor Peter Kelly, director of public health in Teesside, told The Sun newspaper that "social networking sites are making it easier for people to meet up for casual sex".

"I don't get the names of people affected, just figures, and I saw that several of the people had met sexual partners through these sites," he said.



http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/facebook-linked-to-rise-in-syphilis-20100326-r17y.html

[Ohio Joe]

1. Always practice safe surfing

:P

[Posteritatis]

2. "Linked to" is generally a bullshit term these days. (nt)

[Webster Green]

3. I thought this was going to be an 'Onion' article..

Amazing.

[Turbineguy]

4. Hmmm.......

Now I see why the mods delete sex threads here....

[anigbrowl]

5. Anything involving The Sun newspaper is automatically a waste of time

It is not even fit to line the bottom of birdcages.

[47of74]

6. Isn't The Sun one of Rupert's rags?

[anigbrowl]

9. Yes. It makes most of Fox News look like PBS.

[TheWraith]

7. Incredibly bad science. Correlation is not causation.

I could produce numbers claiming that since 90+% of my friends are on Facebook, therefore being my friend causes you to be on Facebook. But that would be nonsense. And this "study" is even worse. It's taking two random facts and making a wild ass leap to an unfounded conclusion.

[omega minimo]

8. Please post one of your redeeming posts ASAP

:eyes:

[gleaner]

10. I can't resist ....

Did they get it from sitting on their monitors? Toilet seats have been cleared but no one has ever studied the connection between Syphilis and sitting on your monitor.