Memphis' ABC Website Link: STD Email Alerts (warn partners via an email)

WPTY (ABC) Memphis ^ | December 18, 2005 | Staff

[mcg2000]

If you have a sexually transmitted disease like herpes, gonorrhea or HIV, telling your partner or partners may be one of the most difficult things you ever do. Difficult, but not impossible, especially if the news is delivered anonymously.

Some people in California have come up with a unique way to avoid one of the most unpleasant conversations two people can have. Instead of having to tell someone face-to-face or calling someone to tell them they might need to be tested, you can now send a E-card.

Dr. Jonathan Fielding is the Director of Public Health for Los Angeles County. The E-card website is the latest in his arsenal against STDs.

Through the website, people can send an E-card to break the news to up to 6 partners at a time, even anonymously. You can pick from 6 different E-cards on the website, and then you can pick your disease. You can also add a personal note to the card before inputting the E-mail addresses of former partners and sending out an electronic STD notification.

The E-cards say things like “You’re too hot to be out of action. I got diagnosed with an STD since we played. You might want to get checked to.” or “It’s not what you brought to the party, it’s what you left with. I left with an STD. You might have, too.”

The Los Angeles County Health Department says the only personal information they keep is your zip code, if you choose to enter it. They do not keep any names or email addresses.

The only downside is that anyone can send out any of the E-cards, including pranksters, but that could also happen with anonymous voicemails or even letters through the post office.

[kenth]

You've got AIDS.

[kenth]

Sorry, I could just hear the AOL version...

[Seamoth]

Well, -most- people do not have sex with so many partners that they cannot connect the date they got a STD with a specific partner, so these e-cards are pointless. Great pranks, though.

[RTINSC]

Telling a partner news like this has to be done in a tactful and diplomatic way (or you might get killed). For example;

"Honey , I have some important news to tell you. I have been avoiding telling you this for fear you may think I am crazy. Last week, the night before we went out and had a great time, I had been abducted by aliens from another planet. I was walking home and there was this bright flash and what appeared to be a large spaceship. From what I remember, I was overpowered by what appeared to be three Amazonian women, each pointing a laser type gun at me. One fired at me and I became unconscious. When I awoke, I was in a small white room, strapped to a metal table. It soon occurred to me that I had become a guinea pig for their research on STD's. They told me they were going to give me the clap and perform some tests, but also were going to give me a drug that would make me forget about where I have been and what happened to me. It was awful, honey. Should we call the police or should we just go see a doctor? Whatta ya think, honey?

[airedale]

The LA Times article is called You Have Mail and it's at: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-web15dec15,1,1824508.story?coll=la-headlines-california You'll need to be a registered user (free). The site mentioned in the article is: http://inspotla.org/ This is where you can generate the notification to your sexual partners.

[jamesm51]

Thanks for the link. I'm gonna have fun with it.

[Threepwood]

I read about this months ago! It's an awesome service!

For a awhile there everybody I knew was catching an STD-o-gram. First just as a joke, but the sad part was that it was a more reliable and user-friendly service than Hotmail. For awhile, I was just using it as a communication tool.

Eventually, my friends told me to go back to email.:(

I see why, but I wish the hotmail people would use this technology. Nice and quick, and if you didn't have to put up with an brief message indicating that you might have trichomoniasis, it would be perfect.

[jamesm51]

more 'interesting' information from this disgusting social engineering site:

* Speak with confidence. You are not lecturing or confessing. You're sharing personal information.

* Remain calm. If you're upset, a partner might think it's worse than it is.(Last time I checked, contracting an STD is pretty bad) Remember your delivery and body language becomes your message, too.

* Expect your partner to be accepting and supportive. People usually act as you expect them to.


While some guys may overreact, some won't bat an eye. Since there is currently a syphilis epidemic among gay and bisexual men in L.A. County, and gonorrhea and chlamydia rates are high as well, many sexually active guys won't be shocked or surprised. Whatever happens, try to be flexible. This is about sexual health—yours, his and the community's. Keeping perspective: syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea symptoms are annoying but these infections will not cause long-term damage as long as you get proper treatment.

[tdscpa]

Great topic for inclusion in a "happy holidays" card.

[wildbill]

Exactly how hard will it be for someone to figure out?

"Gee, I've got this email about STDs. I wonder who I've had intercourse with in the past couple of weeks or months that also has my email address?"

The recipient would have to be a moron or a serial stud-muffin.

[freedumb2003]

"Everybody's got AIDS"
"AIDS AIDS AIDS"

[operation clinton cleanup]

The E-cards say things like “You’re too hot to be out of action. I got diagnosed with an STD since we played.

I guess they did not have any Hallmark writers involved in this. This sounds more like an opportunity for pranksters rather than a public service. (send an e-card to an ex and watch them freak out!)