The authors of this article look at some of the advantages and challenges associated with the use of internet-based surveys for social work research, and describe an internet-based survey they carried out for a study examining stressful life events, coping and risky sexual behaviour in a sample of 297 self-identified gay and bisexual men in the US, using SurveyMonkey (an online survey software programme) to design and host the survey. The article covers sampling and recruitment, offering incentives to prospective participants, completion rates and recruitment costs, and other ethical issues, with discussion of the issues encountered and suggestions for avoiding problems.