Major change coming to dating apps like Tinder and Grindr which may give those looking for love second thoughts
Popular dating apps such as Tinder and Grindr will soon feature ads warning young Australians about sexually transmitted infections, as part of a new government initiative.
Health Minister Mark Butler launched the Beforeplay campaign as a ‘timely reminder’ to people aged 20 to 34, amid a rise in sexually transmitted diseases.
The public health message encourages young people to get tested for STDs such as syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia “before the fun starts.”
The nine-week campaign will run on all major dating and social media apps and will be seen around universities, bars and clubs.
A new government campaign (pictured) encouraging young Australians to get tested for STDs will be featured on popular dating apps such as Tinder and Grindr
The campaign includes phrases like ‘make sure you take an STD test before playing’ and ‘check your fun parts before the fun starts’.
This comes as government data shows that syphilis infections more than doubled between 2015 and 2020, with up to 6,000 cases reported in 2023 alone.
Although no symptoms occur, syphilis can have serious health consequences for pregnant women and their babies if left untreated.
It is the first major STD awareness campaign to be rolled out in Australia in 15 years.
Mr Butler said the campaign will reduce the stigma around STD testing, with one in six Australians contracting an STD in their lifetime.
“This is an important health issue, not a taboo subject,” he said.
“The campaign is a timely reminder of the simple steps everyone should follow to take control of their sexual health and prevent the transmission of STDs.”
Material will be translated for multicultural and First Nations audiences.
The inclusive campaign (pictured) includes phrases like ‘make STD testing your foreplay’ and ‘check your fun parts before the fun begins’
It comes as government data shows syphilis infections more than doubled between 2015 and 2020, with up to 6,000 cases reported in the past year
SThe number of yphilis cases is rising at an alarming rate across Australia, with the number of people contracting the disease tripling in the past decade.
Leading health research agency, UNSW’s Kirby Institute in Sydney, found that 6,036 Aussies were diagnosed with the sexually transmitted infection (STI) in 2022, 466 more cases than the previous year.
Case rates among Indigenous Australians are five times higher than among non-Indigenous Australians, and men are more commonly affected than women.
The disease can damage vital organs such as the brain and heart, and can also lead to death if left untreated.
Health experts are particularly concerned about the rise in the number of women infected with the disease, with cases among women increasing sixfold in a decade.
Congenital syphilis occurs as a result of ‘transplacental transmission’ during pregnancy or from mother to baby during birth.
There has been a worrying rise in syphilis cases in Australia, with 6,036 Aussies diagnosed with the disease in 2022, 466 more cases than the previous year
People can prevent becoming infected by using a condom (stock image) and getting tested for STDs
The coronavirus pandemic reduced the number of people tested for sexually transmitted diseases, which could have led to a rise in cases.
Outbreaks in rural Queensland that began in 2011 have also contributed to the rising number of infections.
Since then, the disease has grown epidemically in remote parts of far north Queensland, with more and more communities at risk.
Syphilis is easily curable if detected and treated at an early stage. The treatment of choice is a dose of penicillin.
People can prevent the disease from being transmitted by practicing safe sex, such as wearing a condom and getting tested regularly for STDs.