[snip] In a growing number of North American cities, people who learn they have a sexually transmitted disease can use a web tool known as inSPOT to inform their sexual contacts and urge them to be tested. It's like an e-vite to seek treatment. Notifications can be sent anonymously.
Toronto and Ottawa are the two Canadian cities registered with inSPOT. Last Christmas, Toronto Public Health used a new technology - proximity marketing - to advertise the service to the gay community.
Using a device called a hypertag in the city's Gay Village, a message was beamed out to all Bluetooth-enabled cellphones within range. Recipients were asked if they would agree to view a message from Toronto Public Health.
Of 1,463 phones that received the message, 317 or 21.7 per cent downloaded the information about inSPOT, says Allie Lehmann, sexual health promotion manager in the directorate of healthy living. The department recently used the technique in six city high schools to raise awareness of chlamydia prevention and testing. [snip]
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