David Moore

A global adoption of social networking applications (apps), such as Facebook, defined the techno-culture that emerged in the decade of 2010. The success of Facebook also catalyzed innovations in other social networking apps, including those that targeted sub-populations of users, such as Grindr, a geo-social networking app adopted by many gay and bisexual men seeking other users for sex and relationships. While an increasing number of studies among general populations of social networking users have reported negative associations between increased frequency and outcomes of mental health, there is limited evidence to characterize this relationship among populations of gay and bisexual men who use Grindr and other similar apps. Therefore, the overall aim of this dissertation is to advance a timely discourse on the relationship between social networking and health that considers a population health case study of gay and bisexual men who use geo-social networking to seek sex and relationships. Findings from this dissertation can inform future research priorities investigating the health of gay and bisexual men who use these apps, and an appropriate clinical and public health response to mitigating any harms of social networking in this population.

View record