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Culture

Facebook App Attempts to Determine Who Gave You the Flu

Unfriending them won't help, though

Reason Staff | 1.7.2013 9:15 PM

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Flu sufferers can now collect more information about the origins of their germs, thanks to a new Facebook app.

"Help, I have the Flu" may not be able to tell you whether the woman coughing in the movie theater infected you, but it can devise clues -- by way of Facebook -- as to who the potential germ-holders in your life may be, RelaxNews reports.

The Facebook app uses different clues to determine which friends are sick by checking status updates for words, such as "flu" "sneezing" and "coughing," and looking at places those people might have checked in. Even the times your friends have posted are considered relevant. For example, several late night posts may indicate a person hasn't been sleeping enough and, thus, would be more susceptible to catching -- and passing along -- the bug.

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