FutureConnect Forum on Social Networking and AIDS Communication

Week 2: Examples of Social Networks for social change and HIV/AIDS communication

Tim Davies — Thu, 27 May 2010 06:35:06 -0700

What examples do you know of where people have used social network sites and social networking for social change communication, or HIV/AIDS communication in particular?

We had some examples in the Future Connect report, but there are 100s more out there. If you know of an example, post a few details here and we can explore the strengths and weakness of different approaches...

FutureConnect Forum on Social Networking and AIDS Communication

Week 1: What's your perspective on Social Network Sites?

Tim Davies — Thu, 13 May 2010 00:42:54 -0700

There are many different views on Social Network Sites.

Dutch social networks researcher Marlene Larsen has articulated '35 perspectives on Social Networking' which you can view here.

They range from the 'The friendship perspective' (Social networking sites are places where young people can maintain and nurse their existing (offline) friendships and create new (online) friendships.), to 'The body and sex perspective' (Social networking sites are sexual playgrounds for young people where they portray themselves in a provocative or soft porn-style manner. It is all about appearance and body making the youngsters superficial and shallow.).

Often we hold a set of different perspectives, and have to explore the tensions between them. For example, I tend to think of social networks as both 'democratic spaces' - where individuals do not have their views and chance to talk to others filtered and censored, and where people can join together in collective action; but also as 'commercial spaces' - set up and maintained by large corporations interested in exploiting the data that users share on the platforms for money.

What perspectives on Social Network Sites have you encountered?

Are there any perspectives you feel particularly represent your view?

Are there any perspectives and ways of understanding social network sites with particular relevance for HIV/AIDS education?

FutureConnect Forum on Social Networking and AIDS Communication

Outline Plan

Tim Davies — Thu, 13 May 2010 00:35:32 -0700

Over the next 7 weeks, taking us up until the end of June, we'll be exploring practical applications of Social Network Sites (SNS) in HIV/AIDS communication, and exploring some of the issues that arise when using SNS in this context.

The discussions build upon the Future Connect Report, but, more importantly, also on your insights and experiences. Below is an outline of what we might cover each week - although you are welcome to start your own group posts to raise the discussions you want, when you want.

I'll post a question to introduce the first topic below shortly....

Week 1) Perspectives on Social Network Sites

- Talking about our own experience of social networking and thinking about how we perceive young people's use of social networks in our own contexts;

- Thinking about which perspectives on social networking can make it appropriate for HIV/AIDs and Sex education

Week 2) Examples of using Social Network Sites for social change & HIV/AIDS education

- Introducing some of the examples from the report and discussing other examples we know of: focussing on HIV/AIDs and Sex education;

- Asking questions about how the use of social networks for education and change fits with current programmes.

Week 3) Different Networks around the World

- Talking about the different forms of social networks out there - and which networks are being used where in the world.

- Thinking about how the nature of the network affects the way in can be used for HIV/AIDS education;

Week 4) Problems and challenges

- Identifying the problem issues with using social networks for discussing sensitive issues such as sexual health.

- Discussing ways in which social networks can create risks for young people;

Week 5) Organisational issues

- Thinking about how organisations can support the use of social networking, and the policy & practice foundations that need to be in place for it to be safe and effective.

Week 6) Measuring impacts

- Thinking about how to assess the impact of engagement in social networking; discussing metrics and measurement - and identifying the sorts of goals that make sense in the social networking context.

Week 7) Looking forward

- Discussing recent trends in social networking; and identifying next steps for discussion participants to go forward and use social networks in their work.

FutureConnect Forum on Social Networking and AIDS Communication

Introductions

Tim Davies — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 02:26:04 -0700

Welcome to this discussion forum.

What brings you here?

You can use the 'Add New Comment' link below to post a few details about you and your interest in the discussions.

You might like to also tell other group members about the different social networking or social media tools you use.

FutureConnect Forum on Social Networking and AIDS Communication

Welcome to the Future Connect Discussion Space

Tim Davies — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 02:22:41 -0700

Discussions around the potential of social networking for AIDS Communication will kick off next week. I'll create an introductions thread in a moment where everyone can say hello...

The report
You can find the 'Future Connect' report which will provide a jumping off point for many of our discussions here.

However, I'm sure there will be much other content to bring into these discussions.

Links
When we were putting together the Future Connect report we used the tag 'snsac' on Delicious (social bookmarking service) to identify other websites and links of interest. You can find all the links we tagged here, and if you already use del.icio.us you can add to that list. (If you're not already using delicious then you can find our more about it here and here.

Other resources
If you know of other resources that will help our exploration of Social Networking and AIDs Communication, then please do share them in this group.

You can either paste the link in directly, or create a link using simple html, where you type < a href="your link with the http://" > link text < / a > (without all the spaces between <'s and a's etc.).