You’ve Got Mail — and an STD
“If a card that reads ‘you’re too hot to be out of action – I got diagnosed with herpes since we played’ ends up in your inbox, think twice before marking it spam. A public health Web site called Inspot.org has put the trend of e-cards, e-mail, and e-vites to a unique purpose: the e-postcard that notifies you that a past sexual partner came down with a sexually transmitted disease or infection. The sender can choose the STD, and whether to disclose their name, while Inspot.org will automatically send a list of local health resources to the recipient. ‘Believe it or not, I thought I’d rather get something telling me than not,’ said Susan, who lives with herpes and runs the herpes support group HELP in Manchester, Conn. ‘But then, the first reaction was, is this for real or is this a sick joke from somebody?’ said Susan, who asked that ABCNews.com not use her full name. Opinions may vary about the e-cards, but the trend is growing, according to a study by the site’s creators in the Internet Sexuality Information Services online journal.” — ABC News (US)
(Thanks to “Chris Finch” for the link.)
There are some obvious potentials for abuse with these things. For kicks a jerk could send them to people he doesn’t like and watch them squirm as they sneak off to get tested. Or suppose you have a crush on a person who’s already in a relationship. If you were manipulative, you might want to send them both a notification and see how it affects them. Maybe they’ll grow suspicious of each other. Maybe that will open the door for you to wedge them apart. Who knows? No strategem is too devious when you’re desperate for someone.
You could also make the argument that an anonymous notification service might make it easier for people with STDs to justify (to themselves) sleeping around. It lessens the embarrassment they might feel informing their lovers and yet it also assuages their conscience by enabling them to make full disclosure.
Ultimately, though, these possibilities pale before the very real value of having some way to notify your sexual partners — or to have your sexual partners notify you. When it comes to an STD, it is definitely better to know than not know. You can check out the ecards for yourself at inspot.org.
Ahhh, the Dreaded STD Email… glorious.
so, who has that page bookmarked ??? ;)
and missamaryka…you can send one to me… ;)
it’s both funny and unnerving that in the “international” section it reads 2 cities from canada and [out of all the places] romania :)))
there must be a big demand from the service over here for them to bother setting up a local chapter. given my rather shady sexual preference and history i am rather suprised i didn’t get the dreaded std email yet
ps does drinking someone’s blood give you herpes?ahh nevermind
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