Yesterday, MTV and Foursquare they were teaming up as part of MTV’s Get Yourself Tested campaign.
The idea behind the campaign is that when you check into a clinic, you get the GYT badge (seen above). It also enters you in a sweepstakes to win a bunch of crap.
People already check into the dumbest places on Foursquare, and STDs are on the rise because people can’t keep their pants on when they use Facebook. Still, are people that interested in getting a small virtual graphic to display? There is no real value behind any Foursquare badge. Do people really need to have one displaying that they got tested to STDs? I understand collecting things, but collecting virtual badges that will never have any monetary value doesn’t make sense to me.
I realize there shouldn’t be any shame or stigma behind getting tested. Anyone can get tested, and we should focus on disease prevention as a society. But is a Foursquare badge and a contest really going to solve this problem?
Also, what if someone’s results are positive? Now someone has to carry a constant Foursquare badge of shame every time they use Foursquare. It’s a virtual Scarlet Letter.
What do you think of this promotion? Does it make you feel weird and icky, or do you think it’s a good idea? Will you be getting this Foursquare badge? I want to know if I’m going to be getting a Foursquare badge every time I go to the doctor.
Anti-Social Media