Elton John urged the social network to help end the stigma of HIV/AIDS

Introducing the annual HIV lecture of Princess Diana on June 8, an event organized by the National AIDS Foundation in the UK in memory of his patron Diane Spencer, Sir Elton John called on leading social media, primarily Facebook or Instagram, to help end the stigma of HIV / AIDS. He reminded all present of the legendary moment when, in 1987, Princess Diana shook the hand of a person dying from AIDS and told how important the stigma of people living with HIV remains today.

"I'm used to putting pressure on pharmaceutical companies, I'm used to putting pressure on the authorities, and we've already achieved some success in working with them," the singer said. "But now pressure should be put on media technology companies. "Not because I think they are bad, but because they have the ability to do so much good."

Elton John said that many users of social networks today are covered with anonymity, while remaining biased. To try to overcome this, the singer suggested to companies such as Facebook or Instagram "to push their users to positive, decency and kindness in the physical world."

"With one blow we can reach two billion people [Facebook users, - Ed.] ... Imagine that the power [of the media, - Ed.] Turned to compassion and love ...," he said. "Imagine that all these forces aimed at unification of people, has turned into billions of handshakes all over the world. "

According to WHO and UNAIDS, there are more than 36 million people living with HIV in the world today.

"We have medicines and knowledge, and almost everything necessary to stop this disease. But we still do not have a global heart, "said Sir Elton.

"The geniuses who created this (technical) sphere should not hide behind their anonymity. They must use their influence to help form a new digital world that will protect as many people as possible. How wonderful it would be if they could start by fighting something as fatal and deadly as the stigma of AIDS".