Using Social Media for Collective Efficacy-Case Study: Intersexions

This PowerPoint presentation, shared at the Entertainment Education (EE) Conference in India in 2011, shares findings of a study to analyse the use of social media to advance HIV/AIDS awareness in South Africa. The study investigated how the television series Intersexions used its Facebook page to support HIV prevention, care, support, and treatment. According to the findings, the Intersexions Facebook page supported the television series by encouraging post-broadcast discussions and creating a space for dialogues and information sharing.

At the time of the presentation, there were 4 million Facebook users in South Africa (or 8.75% of the population), and 23,207 fans on the Intersexions Facebook page. Students at the Centre for Communication, Media and Society captured and analysed facebook responses following particular episodes of Intersexions. They reviewed, cleaned, and coded data, and created themes for analysis to address the project objective in investigating the role of the Facebook page in HIV awareness and support, and as an extension of the episode based on an EE approach.

The analysis categorised participation as active and/or passive. Active participants were considered those who comment and get involved, while passive participants "like" but are silent observers. 3,000 participants were active participants during the 26-week broadcast period, generating over 25,000 impressions.

The presentation shares the following findings from the study:

• Social media extends the dialogue, thus diffusing information – the television series provides the message and Facebook is the platform that allows for dialogue (facilitated by a public health expert as Intersexions on the site) and introspection.
• Intersexions contributed to social learning not only by providing new knowledge but also by reinforcing existing knowledge.
• The series increased people's perceived risk to HIV infection, which stimulates behavioural outcomes, such as a positive response to HIV testing. The data set from episode 8 showed that 18% of the participants self-reported HIV testing. Further research is needed to understand whether forum members who openly disclosed having gone for testing served as role models to encourage other members to test.
• Breaking the silence: participants can speak more openly and gain support on 'traditionally taboo' subjects. Responses reveal how young women who have been sexually abused are usually unable to talk about it with close family members, but freely discuss these issues and gain support via Facebook.
• Social media adds value in the provision of additional information and the creation of more holistic and integrated HIV messages connecting it to other health issues, social problems, etc. The message is mobilised by the participants as they connect it to their own lives and the broader South Africa context. In addition, Facebook allows other issues to be introduced, which may not have been introduced in the television programme.
• Through discussion, audiences are able to come to a deeper appreciation of the issues being addressed.