Relationship Found Between Facebook and Syphilis
Researcher finds correlation between Facebook use and syphilis infections.
Yesterday the Telegraph published a news story that linked Facebook usage with the rise in syphilis. The report cited Professor Peter Kelly, director of public health in Teesside, UK as finding that syphilis infections, especially in young women, have risen fourfold in the areas of Britain where Facebook is most popular.
The theory is that Facebook is giving a new avenue for promiscuous people to set up encounters. Kelly explained, "Social networking sites are making it easier for people to meet up for casual sex."
Much of the internet public lambasted such reports linking Facebook usage and syphilis for not making a clearer distinction between causation and correlation.
Today the Telegraph has published another piece with statements from Facebook, which believes that Professor Kelly's findings may have been misrepresented by the media.
"Today’s reports exaggerate the comments made by the professor, and ignore the difference between correlation and causation," said a spokesman. "Facebook is no more responsible for STD transmission than newspapers are responsible for bad vision."
- Cameron: 'Watching Avatar on iPhone is Dumb'
- Man Sends Camera Into Space For Cool Photos
- Airport Worker Warned for Abusing Naked Scanner
- Man Adds Flamethrower to Bike, Warns Tailgaters
- GameStop Telling Lies to Sell Warranty?
- Wii Vitality Sensor Appearing in New Zelda?
- Netflix for Nintendo Wii Coming Soon
- This Electric Two-Seater Will Drive Itself Home
- Never Wonder Which Switch is For What Again
- Modern Warfare 2 Ad Shows Mapathy Sufferers
- Apple Leaks Approved iPad Apps?
- Capcom Confirms Lost Planet 2 PC
- 3D Touch Interfaces to Hit Smartphones Soon?
- Motorola Speaks on Droid's Android 2.1 Delay
- GameStop Sued Over Misleading Used Game Sales
- 30,000 Free eBooks Available at iPad Launch
- AT&T Redirects Salt Lake City 911 Calls to Seattle
- Easy Riding: Taurus is Sexy Segway/Bike Combo
- Library Seeks $300,000 to Build Game Collection
Just to clarify for the media: Facebook does not cause syphilis, nor do video games cause violence. Stupid people use these things and then do stupid things, no relation really.
So if I type without using gloves, may I be at risk?
How do you fit the condom on the computer?
^^^+∞
Gah i meant for first post lol...toms guide no editing?
No condom for my PC? Guess I better abstain.
Is it ironic than I am gonna share this on my facebook account?
Did they mean that our computers are at risk of syphillis, due to facebook's malicious filled apps and links? ..yeah lets go ahead and jump back to the fact that first person shooters are linked to gun violence.
Is it ironic than I am gonna share this on my facebook account?
I just posted it to my Facebook account as well. Along with, quoting the no glove typing comment as the title. Lets see what my idiotic school friends have to say about this one.
Hey look! A correlation! It MUST be the cause!
NAAT. Stupid study is stupid. Maybe kids with more access to technology just bang more.
And Twitter causes AIDS!
Wow, just, wow. do these people have nothing better to do?? I mean seriously, thats about as stupid as saying that I should not talk to ANYONE cause I might find that I like them, and that could eventually lead to sex and an STD. WTF???
I've just concluded a study that shows pieces of paper with words written on them cause wars.
And Twitter causes AIDS!
AIDeS are good. Everyone should have them.
tell something someone doesn't know about facebook/myspace/twitter. doesn't everyone use them to cheat on their lover?
Umm... this article says correlation and the researchers hypothesized that it the cause of the correlation was the ease which strangers could hook up and have casual sex. (Sounds much more plausable than if they said people who are promiscuous are the ones that sign up for Facebook - but it is just a hypothesis, not a proven theory.)
Anyway, it is a shame this is about Syphilis and not AIDS - 'cause now we are missing out on those jokes about how Facebook helps spread viruses.
Geez! Gimme a break!
Umm... this article says correlation and the researchers hypothesized that it the cause of the correlation was the ease which strangers could hook up and have casual sex. (Sounds much more plausable than if they said people who are promiscuous are the ones that sign up for Facebook - but it is just a hypothesis, not a proven theory.)Anyway, it is a shame this is about Syphilis and not AIDS - 'cause now we are missing out on those jokes about how Facebook helps spread viruses.
it can't be aids, they aren't talking about a third world country.... DUHHH
Well most girl on facebook have 300+ to 1000+ friends. So, I would be careful with those girls haha. Like they say 'I wouldn\t touch her with a 10 foot pole'
Guns don't cause murder, but they sure help. Facebook doesn't cause sexual encounters; it increases the number of sexual encounters someone has if they were already in live with that behavior pattern.
It makes whores more efficient. OH LORD WHAT HAVE I BECOME!
I don't use facebook. I'm safe!
come on! chats exist at least a decade before facebook!!!
Facebook is just an enabling technology for people to collectively do all kinds of things. There are many social networking sites, of various socially conservative (not) tangents out there as well as dating sites. I wonder if there's been studies to see if any of these sites have an increased rate of STD's amongst their site members?
For once, I find a news report that uses proper terminology; as state above "Today’s reports exaggerate the comments made by the professor, and ignore the difference between correlation and causation".
I'd like to thank the people who made an effort to distinguish both. For the others: Correlation does not imply causation.
...In other news, researchers also find a correlation between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Facebook/Twitter/Myspace
You can find casual sex on facebook? Maybe I need to finally get an account. What is this casual sex group called?
Newspapers *ARE* responsible for bad vision.
Is it ironic than I am gonna share this on my facebook account?
I just posted it on mine, too, stating "and I thought Craigslist was the culprit." Really, if you look around, EVERYTHING is sold on Craigslist...including sex, including people looking for casual encounters.