Facebook Data: What Do They Tell You About Your Clients?

You may not be surprised to learn that Facebook and other social media platforms collect a lot of data on their users. However, a new survey shows that many Americans don’t believe the site accurately reflects who they are as people or online users. A Pew Research Center surveyExit Disclaimer found: “About half of Facebook users say they are not comfortable when they see how the platform categorizes them, and 27% maintain the site's classifications do not accurately represent them.”

As HIV communicators, we often rely on data from social media platforms to help us tailor our messaging and target our outreach. However, this study serves as a reminder that we need to also gather our own data and insights about our audiences to be truly effective.

• Read more about the survey.Exit Disclaimer
• Talk to an HIV.gov team member about how you can use data to target your outreach.