Secondo i risultati di un nuovo studio, gli uomini gay e bisessuali che utilizzano app per smartphone per cercare potenziali partner per il sesso occasionale si espongono a un rischio maggiore di contrarre infezioni a trasmissione sessuale (IST). È stato riscontrato che coloro che accedono e utilizzano le app per incontrare altri uomini hanno maggiori probabilità di ricevere successivamente la diagnosi di gonorrea eClamidia rispetto agli uomini che hanno trovato potenziali partner in altri modi, ad esempio nei nightclub o online, dicono i ricercatori.Lo studio è stato condotto dal Los Angeles LGBT Center, un'organizzazione no-profit di Los Angeles, California e pubblicato sulla rivistaInfezioni sessualmente trasmissibili. It involved an analysis of the STI testing results of 7,184 men between 2011 and 2013, in addition to the answers the provided to a questionnaire about their sex lives and recreational drug use. It was found that 34% of the men who participated in the study had found sexual partners through in-person social networking only, 30% had met their partners through a mix of both the Internet and in-person social networking, whilst the remaining 36% met partners using a combination of all the three methods. Contrasted against men who had met their sexual partners online first or in person, those using the social apps were found to be 25% more likely of contracting gonorrhoea and at a 37% higher risk of being infected with chlamydia. The study discovered there did not appear to be any major difference between the groups with regards to syphilis or HIV. “As technology has benefits, it also has certain risks,” said Matt Beymer, the lead researcher and an epidemiologist at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. “We want to educate gay and bisexual men about the potential risks that they may face with these apps.” Beymer's study also found the social app users were usually either white or Asian, well-educated and under the age of 40. The primary focus of the study was not meant to be about drug use, but those using social apps were probably more likely to use recreational drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy. “Our ultimate goal is not to stigmatize these apps or stigmatize in general,” Beymer says. “We just really want gay and bisexual men to love carefully and love safely.” Social apps such the hugely popular Grindr and SCRUFF utilise the GPS (global positioning system) technology of smartphones to help users find people nearby who are also using the app. Grindr in particularly has become immensely popular amongst the gay and bisexual community since its launch in 2009, boasting more than 10 million user downloads, Whilst the apps can be used for a variety of purposes, the majority of people use them to seek out potential sexual partners. Commenting on the study findings, Justin Harbottle, a health promotion specialist at the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: "However good the sex is, it's not worth contracting a long-term condition. Gay men today have more opportunities to meet for sex than ever before. Part of the problem is that communication on dating apps can be brief, making it easy to cut corners on important discussions like safe sex” He added that i preservativi sono ancora il metodo migliore per proteggersi dalle infezioni sessualmente trasmissibili. Tuttavia, Grindr ha difeso il proprio servizio e ha parlato alla BBC, dicendo: “Grindr è fortemente impegnata a promuovere il sesso sicuro all’interno della comunità e incoraggia fortemente i nostri utenti a impegnarsi in pratiche sessuali sicure, a sottoporsi al test e a conoscere il loro stato di HIV”.