“The flames are 50/50 right now”: content moderation practices at the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States (1982–1990)

Abstract

The timeline for the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States occurred parallel to the domestic shift of computing and the advent of DIY computer networking efforts. During this critical time, many activists and community organisers within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) spaces utilised computer networking, such as bulletin board systems (BBSs) and Usenet boards to facilitate information exchange within their affected communities. Due to the sensitive nature of the epidemic and often-vital need for up-to-date information, content moderation became an increasingly important issue on these boards. This paper uses varying archival methods to explore the development of content moderation practices, and the influence of HIV/AIDS culture, on bulletin board systems and Usenet boards, with a special focus on boards dedicated to LGBTQ+ content and HIV/AIDS information exchange.