Major change coming to dating apps like Tinder and Grindr which may give those looking for love second thoughts

Campaign encourages Aussies to tested for STI's It will be featured on social media and dating apps READ MORE: Why government workers could soon be banned from Tinder

Popular dating apps like Tinder and Grindr will soon feature ads warning young Australians about sexually transmitted infections, as part of a new government initiative.

Health Minister Mark Butler launched the Beforeplay campaign as a ‘timely reminder’ to those aged 20 to 34, amid a rise in sexually transmitted diseases.

The public health message encourages young people to get tested for STI’s like syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia ‘before the fun starts’.

The nine-week campaign will been seen on all major dating apps and social media apps and will be plastered around universities, bars and clubs.

A new government campaign (pictured) encouraging young Australians to get tested for STI’s will be featured on popular dating apps like Tinder and Grindr

The campaign features phrases like ‘make STI testing your beforeplay’ and to ‘check your fun parts before the fun starts’. 

It comes as government data reveals syphilis infections have more than doubled between 2015 and 2020, with up to 6,000 cases in 2023 alone. 

Despite not showing symptoms, syphilis can have serious health implications for pregnant women and their babies if it goes untreated. 

It is the first major STI awareness campaign to be rolled out in Australia in 15 years.  

Mr Butler said the campaign will reduce the stigma around STI testing with one in six Australians getting an STI in their lifetime. 

‘This is an important health issue, not a taboo topic,’ he said.

‘The campaign is a timely reminder of the simple steps everyone should follow to stay in control of their sexual health and prevent STI transmission.’

Material will be translated for multicultural and First Nations audiences.

The inclusive campaign (pictured) features phrases like ‘make STI testing your beforeplay’ and to ‘check your fun parts before the fun starts’

It comes as government data reveals syphilis infections have more than doubled between 2015 and 2020, with up to 6,000 cases in the last year

Syphilis cases are rising at an alarming rate across Australia with the number of people contracting the disease tripling in the last decade.

Leading health research agency the Kirby Institute at the UNSW in Sydney found 6,036 Aussies were diagnosed with the sexually transmitted infection (STI) in 2022, 466 more cases than the previous year.

Cases among Indigenous Australians are five times higher than non-Indigenous Australians and men are affected more than women.

The disease can damage vital organs such as the brain and heart, and can also lead to death if it goes untreated.

Health experts are particularly concerned about the rise in the number of women infected with the disease, with the number of cases among females increasing six-fold over a 10-year period.

Congenital syphilis occurs as a result of ‘transplacental transmission’ during pregnancy or from mother to baby during birth.

There has been a concerning rise in the number of syphilis cases in Australia with 6,036 Aussies diagnosed with the disease in 2022, 466 more cases than the previous year

People can avoid getting infected by using a condom (stock image) and getting tested for STI’s

The coronavirus pandemic reduced the number of people getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases which could have led to the rise in cases.

Outbreaks in rural areas of Queensland which started in 2011 have also contributed to the rising number of infections.

Since then the disease has grown at epidemic rates in remote parts of far north Queensland, with more communities at risk.

Syphilis is simple to cure when it’s detected and treated in its early stages. The preferred treatment is a dose of penicillin.

People can avoid transmitting the disease by practising safe sex practices like wearing a condom and be regularly tested for STIs.