A woman’s fiery social media post has ignited a debate after she argued that individuals living with incurable sexually transmitted diseases—such as HIV and herpes—should be required by law to register in a national, publicly searchable database, similar to sex offender registries.
In the now-viral video, the unnamed American woman passionately criticized what she described as a public health “double standard,” pointing out that citizens can easily search for sex offenders in their neighborhoods but cannot access information about potential partners carrying life-long infectious diseases.
“If you’ve tested positive for HIV or herpes, the doctor should be required to put your name in a national database,” she said in the video. “Why are we relying on people to be honest about it? That’s why there are 20,000 new HIV cases in Atlanta — people are not telling their partners.”
Her remarks quickly spread across social media, drawing both support and outrage. Advocates for public health transparency argued that her comments reflect growing frustration with what many see as gaps in disclosure laws, particularly in states with high rates of HIV transmission.
However, civil rights and health experts condemned the proposal, warning that a public registry would be discriminatory, invasive, and unconstitutional. Critics compared it to medical doxxing, noting that forcing individuals to disclose their private health status could lead to harassment, stigma, and violence.
“This idea would violate fundamental privacy rights protected under federal law,” one public health attorney explained. “Medical conditions, including HIV status, are protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). A national registry would not only be unlawful—it would endanger vulnerable communities.”
Others pointed out that HIV transmission is already criminalized in several U.S. states, where individuals who knowingly expose others can face felony charges.
Yet, according to epidemiologists, such punitive laws have not reduced transmission rates and may actually discourage people from getting tested out of fear of legal consequences.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that over 1.2 million Americans are living with HIV, with roughly 13% unaware of their status. Meanwhile, Atlanta remains one of the hardest-hit cities, with one of the highest per-capita HIV infection rates in the nation.
In her video, the woman argued that voluntary disclosure clearly isn’t working and that the government must “take it more seriously.”
“They make sex offenders register, right?” she said. “You can’t even buy a house if you’re a sex offender. But the government still hasn’t come up with a protocol to put something in place for people with HIV or herpes. Why isn’t there a database?”
Her comments have since sparked a flood of responses, with thousands debating whether public safety can ever outweigh medical privacy. While some commenters applauded her for voicing a “hard truth,” others accused her of spreading fear and misinformation about HIV transmission—especially since modern treatments can reduce viral loads to undetectable levels, making transmission virtually impossible.
For now, no lawmaker has proposed legislation resembling the idea, but the video has clearly struck a nerve.
