As the old saying goes, bad news travels fast. Research shows that saying holds true when it comes to young men discussing HIV on social media. An analysis of viral tweets from young men and adolescents, the most at-risk group for new infections in the United States, revealed a wider propagation and greater audience engagement for tweets entailing a negative message—particularly, tweets using humor to stigmatize people or promote risky behaviors.
Most at-risk populations for HIV discussing the topic in negative, risky ways get the most social media attention
