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4. Who is Using New Media?

Who is Using New Media

People of all ages and backgrounds are online and using new media tools for a variety of reasons such as searching for information and connecting with others.

We know that the many adults and teens in the U.S. use the Internet and many look for health information online. The Pew Internet & American Life Project produces information about who is using the Internet and various new media tools. In addition, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a series of eHealth Data Briefs which contain recent data highlights and demographic breakdowns for several new media channels.

What about the "digital divide"?

There are several things we need to look at when considering who is online. While more Whites are online and using new media tools than Blacks, the gap has been decreasing over the past several years. There is a divide in Internet and new media use between Spanish-dominant Hispanic adults and other population groups in the U.S. The data is constantly changing – and there isn’t data available for all racial and ethnic groups – but the data from our colleagues at Pew Internet & American Life Project and others show an increase in use among all groups.

Within the HIV community we know that more and more of our colleagues across the country (and around the world) are using new media tools to engage with their peers, clients, and supporters. For example, colleagues in San Francisco are using text messaging to answer health questions and link teens to local clinics . Colleagues in New Mexico are using social network sites to promote HIV testing events . In Chicago and DC, our colleagues are using texting for HIV medication and appointment reminders. Our colleagues in Atlanta are providing people with electronic cards (ecards) to encourage HIV testing and other healthy behaviors.