Blaming dating apps for the rise of STDs is just the latest form of sex panic

“Are dating apps to blame for the rise in STDs?”

It’s a line that seems tailor-made for morning news shows, designed to be read in that formal, faux-inquisitive tone newscasters use before cutting to commercial break.

It’s true that STD rates have risen in the U.S. over the last 10 years, with an especially steep rise in the last four years. Alongside straight coverage of this rise, reports drawing the line between STDs and dating apps have also proliferated on local news, digital outlets, and cable networks around the country. 

And like all sound bites, the way these pieces are framed doesn’t reflect the whole story — they just capitalize on the easiest part of it. Read more…

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