MTV and foursquare reward users for getting an STD test
Foursquare and MTV are pairing up to launch a new badge that rewards users for getting an STD test during the month of September, according to the Associated Press. Users who unlock the badge are eligible to win a trip for two to NY to see a taping of MTV’s 10 on Top, a show that counts down the most talked about young celebrities of the moment.
Every year there are more than 19 million cases of STDs in the US. By age 25, one in two sexually active people will contract an STD. Many show no signs or symptoms, so the only way to properly diagnose them is with an STD test. Many STDs are treatable and even curable. You can find your nearest STD testing center here or by texting your zip code to GYTNOW (498669).
MTV’s GYT (Get Yourself Talking, Get Yourself Tested) project aims to get young people communicating with their partners, friends and health care providers openly and to encourage them to get tested and treated in an effort to lower the incidence of STDs. It’s presented by MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Planned Parenthood.
It’s unclear exactly how you unlock the badge, but hopefully there will be a special shout involved to make sure no one inadvertently unlocks it and makes it a public part of their foursquare profile. MTV promises to post more information about the badge and sweepstakes tomorrow.
What do you think of badges like this that help inspire social consciousness?
UPDATE: Mashable reports that the badge will be unlocked by shouting GYT after checking in at a testing center.
/Spotted via Yahoo’s Starting Points Blog
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Having a badge to promote social consciousness is useless if no one knows how to unlock the badge. This is a fundamental problem with all Foursquare badges.
If I was sponsoring a Foursquare badge, I’d WANT people to know how to get it so they can go to my venue and unlock it. The more people who get a badge, the more promotion for the sponsor.
As it is, companies just buy in to a secret.
The badge won’t be active until tomorrow. I’m sure we’ll learn more about how to unlock it then. MTV and foursquare been very forthcoming about how to unlock the Moonman badge, even though it doesn’t seem to work all the time.
I fear this will just involve some specific shout text and will then just be abused to get another badge.
Then again, I’m sure most of Indonesia already has it anyway…
I don’t know. It looks like all the Planned Parenthood locations have been mass imported lately…
I’ve noticed a lot of Planned Parenthood locations in Indiana imported recently too… I would speculate that earning the badge will require following the MTV foursquare page and then checking-in at a planned parenthood location.
For the GYT badge you just need to check into a clinic and shout GYT! as part of your checkin.
Is anyone willing to get a STD test just to earn the badge?
All you have to do is shout “GYT”.
Nope. I just tried that from a non-clinic location and it didn’t work.
So it must have to be a real clinic.
FYI – just shouting “GYT” Does NOT earn you the badge