Meet Hula: the social network that lets you share your STD status

We share a lot of stuff on social media: our dates of birth, our relationship statuses and all those embarrassing party photos. Sharing the results of your latest STD test has to be a first though.

Wait, what now? Yup, you read right, and this isn’t about typing out a status on an existing social network either. Instead, it’s a full service app going by the name of Hula. The app, currently available on iOS, allows you to find your nearest STD testing centre, “get your results online, and share your verified STD status”.

According to the service’s official website, users are given a variety of choices for testing centres including doctors’ offices and clinics. It also promises that it keeps user information safe through encryption.

The aim of being able to share the results of a test, it says, is to make “‘the conversation’ less awkward, online or in person”.

Right now, Hula is only available in a select number of cities across the US.

The concept is however an interesting one and it’s one that could have important applications in emerging market countries that are seriously affected by HIV and Aids. This is especially true if the model really does make it less awkward to have conversations around STDs.