url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q4o3AZLgPU

MacAulay, Maggie. (2014, October). Understanding the Internet in Sexual Health Research & Innovation. Presented at the Gay Men's Health Summit, Vancouver, Canada. The ubiquity and proliferation of information and communication technologies like the Internet have virtually transformed the ways that we interact with health. Online, patients become consumers who routinely Google their symptoms, ask and answer questions on health forums, and retrieve some of their personal health information. The digital landscape also creates new opportunities for health care providers and organizations to provide online information and counselling, keep up with emerging research and treatments, and enhance outreach and support efforts tailored for “hidden” or “difficult-to-reach” publics. So, what do these digital developments mean for those who work with gay men in the context of HIV prevention? What are the ways in which new media tools enhance their work? What are some of the ongoing social and technical issues they face? Based upon semi-structured interviews with gay men, public health stakeholders and technologists in cities like San Francisco, CA and Vancouver, BC, I outline some of the best practices and practical challenges in this field. First, I begin by unpacking some of the common sense assumptions that all of us make when it comes to gay men, HIV prevention, and the Internet. Next, I present some of the multi-level concerns that stakeholders report with respect to navigating the socio-technical dynamics of the Internet, as well as some of the institutional/organizational challenges they face. As more online health research and programming emerges for gay men and other communities, discussing some of these issues together can help us begin to boost our own competencies and build capacities in this area.

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