Field studies of Ukrainian sex (Web 2.0 version)
As it turned out, among the main areas that are thought to be priority for discussion in the social networks and blogs (games, music, fashion, IT/gadgets, movie/TV, football, cars, politics, food/gastronomy, humor, etc), the topics of HIV/AIDS, sex and drugs are far from being on the first places.
In comparison with the global audience of social networks, Ukrainians are less interested in sexual themes. If, for example, generally 28 per cent of all comments in the VKontakte social network are devoted to sex, in the Ukrainian segment this figure is 5 times less. While discussing some other topics Ukrainians are getting more active, for example, if in the VKontakte 41 per cent of the comments are devoted to the different games, then Ukrainians discuss the games twice as often. The sexual activity of the Ukrainians in the VKontakte can be compared with their political activity. Sex posts receive the same number of comments as political posts.
The Ukrainian Facebook users also do not show interest in sex topic - according to post commenting rating, they are interested in sex five times less than in politics and 10 times less than in food.
It is important to note that Ukrainian users of LiveJournal more sexually active - the sex topic is raised 5 times more often than food although 5 times less than.
Analyzing the research results in the national Google segment, we can make the conclusion that Ukrainian users frequently get distorted information about ways of HIV transmission in Ukraine. A teenager who heard something about AIDS problem, is more likely to look for answers in the Internet where relevant information about HIV/AIDS is lacking. Major part of all publications contains negative information and only insignificant portion shares information about treatment and life with HIV status. Every sixth link leads to the articles or news generated by the AIDS-dissidents who claim that AIDS is a fake problem and HIV virus doesn't exist.
When we talk about the drugs, negative information in the results of Google search consists only 11 per cent while IDUs are still cause for every third HIV infection in 2010. 45 per cent of drug references in the Internet have criminal nature and almost 40 thousand users receive the receipt of self-made drugs every month instead of information about consequences of drug use.
It turned out that Ukrainians do not like to discuss sex in the Internet communication, only 5 per cent of the Google search contain mentioning of this topic at forums and blogs, 95 per cent of the references in this search system are the links to the articles and news about sex. Usually, looking for information about sex, Ukrainians end up with materials about contraception. Direct messages about sex services hold the last place in this list.
The results of this study will form the basis for a new on-line project of the Elena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation, which will be implemented in partnership with the Coca-Cola Foundation.
For detailed information, please, contact Pavel Piminov, Communications Director, Elena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation: +380 67 466 8736, [email protected]
