Facebook deny link to rise in syphilis in the UK

We’ve heard of Facebook being the source of viruses before, but this takes the proverbial biscuit. The social networking site is now being blamed for a UK rise in the sexually transmitted disease syphilis, an accusation they refute as “ridiculous”.

The website came under fire yesterday after Professor Peter Kelly, director of public health in Teesside, had reportedly said that his staff had found a link between Facebook and a four-fold rise in cases of the STD in the North East.

“I don’t get the names of people affected, just figures, and I saw that several of the people had met sexual partners through these sites,” said Prof Kelly. “Social networking sites are making it easier for people to meet up for casual sex.”

Facebook, have now said that Prof Kelly had been misrepresented: “Today’s reports exaggerate the comments made by the professor, and ignore the difference between correlation and causation,” said a spokesman.

Got to agree with Facebook here as this is surely scapegoating in its most highly refined form. If you’ve been unlucky enough to contract syphilis, chances are there is only one person to blame for your woes; yourself, and your lack of sensible sexual precautions.