The author outlines the reasons he believes account for the difficulties encountered in AIDS prevention in France: the fact that the public health message must be targeted at high-risk groups while also addressing the general population, to avoid further stigmatization of these groups; the risk of infringing on individual rights, linked to coercive practices aimed at protecting the social group as a whole; the encouragement of behavioral changes pertaining to private life (sexual relations, use of psychoactive substances); the use of the media for information campaigns that spark differing opinions on the anti-AIDS policies they represent. The development of prevention initiatives is based on periodic national surveys known as KABP, which for the past five years have been combined with surveys on sexual behavior, revealing changes in attitudes, beliefs, and practices. To better adapt to reality and the diversity of needs, these initiatives must be integrated with on-the-ground efforts. We must avoid the tendency toward social control and strike the right balance between the defense of individual rights and public health needs.