The NZ Dating website has begun putting safe sex messages on its members' emails, a move welcomed by the New Zealand AIDS Foundation.

Several GayNZ.com readers contacted us last week saying that some emails to male profiles within the website ended up with a bright red signature at the bottom, saying 'Safe Sex saves Lives - visit www.nzaf.org.nz for great sexual advice'.

The New Zealand AIDS Foundation's communications co-ordinator Chris Banks says the Foundation is very pleased with the initiative, and consider it to be a socially responsible move on the part of NZ Dating toward its many gay and bisexual users.

"It's an initiative that NZ Dating have taken themselves," explains Banks."We have spoken with NZ Dating since the email signature was introduced, and we're told they took the initiative as part of a move to enhance the wellbeing of their users.

The NZAF has now asked for the link to direct users to their www.menseekingmen.co.nz website, where gay and bisexual men can access sexual health information and free condoms.

Banks realises that some people may find the addition of a safe sex signature to their emails on NZ Dating objectionable, "but it is not uncommon for email services to add commercial advertising signatures to their users emails - hotmail for example.

"It is good to see such a facility being used on NZ Dating to direct gay and bisexual men online - a group whom our research shows are in particular need of education around HIV - to our information on safe sex and HIV risk."