Report: Paying the Costs of Connection

Key findings:

• Many participants described struggling to get online, due to cost of smartphones and data bundles, lack of Wi-Fi, and more. Young women faced greater challenges.

• People living with HIV and members of stigmatised groups said fears of being outed to family and the community made them reluctant to seek or share health information online.

• Three-quarters of young adults described technology-facilitated abuse. Abuse appeared increasingly normalised.

• HIV activists and peer outreach workers said their online visibility exposed them to virulent abuse and threats.

• Few young adults reported success when reporting abuse to online platforms or the police.

• When all other systems failed, community-led groups were a key source of support.

• Despite their concerns, study participants expressed resilience, determination and a strong interest in getting training in-person and online about their rights and more; we call this “digital empowerment”.

• Many had optimistic visions of the future and called for greater accountability and transparency online, to ensure this future is realised.

The report shares recommendations for policymakers, governments, tech companies and funders. Young adults in the study will lead advocacy at national levels.