Hookup app Grindr is rolling out an extensive new sexual health initiative, including opt-in notifications to remind users to get tested.
The test reminders, which can be delivered every three or six months, also include links to help users find nearby sexual health clinics.
Jack Harrison-Quintana, Grindr’s director of equality, said some members of the community felt a sense of discomfort and shame around health-oriented apps.
The testing reminder is an opt-in option for Grindr users. Source: Grindr
"We tried to make it feel inviting," he told the New York Times, opting for a "friendly, generally light colour instead of a Red Cross that made people think about health."
As part of their new initiative, Grindr is also offering free advertising to health clinics and LBGTIQ+ community centers.
"With free ads for our services running on Grindr, we’ve been able to target users in our community and raise awareness for our center and HIV testing services," said Adrian Shanker of Pennsylvania's Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center to New Now Next.
He continued: "We have seen a dramatic increase in use of our HIV testing site over the last two years, particularly in people that have never been tested before."
"[Without Grindr] we wouldn’t be able to do this work around prevention and awareness or reach those most in need."
It is unclear when the app plans on rolling out the new test-reminders internationally.
