IAC 2010 Session: HIV/AIDS in the Information Age -- How Digital Media Can Fight the Epidemic

By Miguel Gomez, AIDS.gov Director and Michelle Samplin-Salgado, AIDS.gov New Media Strategist

IAC Session, "HIV/AIDS in the Information Age: How Digital Media Can Fight the Epidemic"

Tonight, as part of the 2010 International AIDS Conference, we attended a session on new media, HIV/AIDS in the Information Age: How Digital Media Can Fight the Epidemic. Moderated by Scott Evertz, Senior Vice President of Gibraltar Associates , the session highlighted public and private examples of using digital media to communicate public health messaging. We heard from Tina Hoff from the Kaiser Family Foundation and Jason Rzepka from MTV . Tina and Jason spoke about the GYT campaign and how they've used video, social media, and online marketing to reach their audiences. Jenny Taussig from Emory University and Jackie Kahn from Gibraltar presented AIDSVu , an online tool that uses mapping to share information about the epidemic and provides information on local HIV testing centers. They've also incorporated social networking, encouraging people to "make the pledge" to take an HIV test.

Facing AIDS for World AIDS Day 2009: How You Can Take Action with One Photo

By Jennie Anderson and Josie Halpern-Finnerty

Tree Alexander at USCA

If a picture says a thousand words, how much would a picture of you wearing a red ribbon and holding a sign that says you're "Facing AIDS for World AIDS Day" say? Could it help end stigma? Promote HIV testing? We think so - and we need your help.

Last week at the U.S. Conference on AIDS, we kicked off the relaunch of our Facing AIDS for World AIDS Day campaign. Hundreds of you stopped by our photo booth and told us why you are Facing AIDS. In doing so, you are helping to reduce stigma around HIV by putting real faces to the people who care about responding to HIV, and by helping to promote HIV testing. We first launched this campaign last year for the 20th World AIDS Day and given how many of you responded, we're doing it again this year and taking it to the next level.

New Media Extends Reach of IAS 2009 Conference

By Regina Aragón and Scott Sanders, Consultants, IAS Communications

Two days before the opening of the 5th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2009) the number of fans on the conference Facebook fan page jumped by almost 20% within a 24-hour period. Momentum was building and we began to fully recognize the ability of new media to expand the conference's reach.

Over 5,800 people attended the biennial conference in Cape Town, South Africa from July 19-22, and with the introduction of new media tools, many more were able to follow the proceedings from afar. By the end of the conference we had 1,145 Facebook fans, 227 followers on Twitter (many with their own, much larger followings), and 2,400 visitors to the IAS 2009 Live blog .

World's Largest Open Scientific Conference on HIV/AIDS Uses New Media Tools

By Miguel Gomez

This weekend approximately 5,000 of the world’s leading scientists, clinicians, public health experts and community leaders will convene in Cape Town, South Africa, for the 5th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment, and Prevention (IAS 2009) to “examine the latest developments in HIV-related research, and to explore how scientific advances can—in very practical ways—inform the global response to HIV/AIDS.” The conference will run July 19-22, 2009.

World AIDS Day 2008: The Power of YOU

Photos from the Facing AIDS Flickr group

December 1 marked the 20th annual observance of World AIDS Day . At AIDS.gov, we used several new media tools to commemorate this day. We invited you to blog, to upload photos of yourself wearing a red ribbon to social network sites, and to join us in the virtual world of Second Life. But today’s blog post is not so much about what we did—it’s about YOU.

Facing AIDS

We asked you to help reduce HIV stigma by posting a photo of yourself wearing a red ribbon to your online social networks--showing that you care about HIV/AIDS and helping to promote HIV testing.

How YOU responded

You responded in full force. Nearly 700 of you joined the Facebook group , and 460 RSVP’d for the Facebook event. In addition nearly 200 of you posted photos to the Flickr group. You passed the word to your friends, and you posted discussions and comments about what World AIDS Day means to you. Avatars in Second Life, drag queens in England, and our parents in the Midwest sent us photos. Our colleagues at the CDC took great initiative in generating a workplace photo response--even CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding uploaded a photo! One of you took a photo of the Empire State building lit up with red lights, and another submitted a photo of your son who died of an AIDS-related illness. Some of the photos are below - and we encourage you to visit our Flickr page to see many more. Also, if you haven’t already, it’s not too late to upload your photo!

Bloggers Unite

We partnered with NIDA and Bloggers Unite to encourage bloggers to dedicate their posts on December 1 to HIV/AIDS.

How YOU responded

You responded with posts more powerful (and plentiful) than we could have anticipated. We are still reading all the posts and following the conversations you generated. You got the word out, told your stories, linked to resources, and told your communities, your friends, families, and readers why HIV/AIDS matters to you. Some of the bloggers that inspire the AIDS.gov team, like Beth Kanter and NTEN’s Holly Ross , also dedicated their blog to World AIDS Day.

World AIDS Day in Second Life

Our colleagues in Second Life invited us to speak at the opening of Karuna , the first island in Second Life solely dedicated to HIV/AIDS information, support, and education. We accepted the invitation and created our avatars, virtual posters, and note cards for the event.

How YOU responded

Almost 500 people (or rather, their avatars) visited Karuna on World AIDS Day - and for many of you it was your first time exploring this virtual world. Our colleagues in Atlanta, Maryland, Virginia, California, and North Carolina created their own avatars and took the unfamiliar plunge into Second Life. People who had lost friends and loved ones came to the event to share their stories and remember.

But that’s not all...

There were many, many other World AIDS Day events and activities that involved new media. We were inspired by the following examples - a small sample of the many:

• Many people twittered about World AIDS Day. People like Social Butterfly , Chris Brogan , Chris Penn , and hundreds more !
• The World Community Grid developed a virtual space in Second Life to promote their Fight AIDS @ Home Campaign .
• The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee created a website for youth where they submit their own videos and postcards.
• Peace Tiles used online media to create digital murals that raise awareness about HIV/AIDS issues and to commemorate World AIDS Day 2008.

YOU make the difference.

Thank you. For caring enough to take photos. For telling your friends. For telling your stories about HIV/AIDS. For embracing new media for social change.

We were inspired by your creativity and compassion. YOUR involvement in the many World AIDS Day 2008 new media activities demonstrated the potential power of new media. But more importantly, it shows the power of YOU.

Now what?

We learned a lot from you this World AIDS Day - and we have a lot more to learn. Now that the dust has settled, we’re taking the time to ask ourselves: moving forward, how should we use new media to respond to HIV/AIDS? What worked well? What could have worked better? What do YOU think?