This kind of fear mongering sucks. Technology isn't the problem here.

The subtext of that message is that specific groups (homosexuals, girls, etc) shouldn't have the freedom to use the latest technology to communicate in the way others do.

There are bad people out there. The iPhone won't change that.

'Leads to' is an unfortunate choice of words at best.

Unless there are details not yet divulged, this appears pretty similar to, e.g., 'Casual Encounters section of Craigslist Leads to Murder of Phoenix Man'.

Are we gonna have these repeat stories with every slightly new or different technology? It'd be a story if the app leaked sensitive data or something, not just a hookup gone wrong.

I posted it here because the app involved is presumably Loopt, which is a YC company.

My guess would be Grindr or one of its clones.

Loopt, colorful popped collars notwithstanding, is not particularly gay.

"Correction: Phoenix P.D. Investigation Finds That Grindr iPhone App Not Involved in Yesterday's Murder"

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2010/04/correct...

I'd have guessed Grindr, but this is saying that while the police press contacts don't know what app it was, it specifically wasn't Grindr:

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/04/phoenix-man-stabbed-to-...

LOAD "warning about how aranging to meet strangers for sex in a non-public place has been a bad idea since the invention of sex"

RUN