Planned Parenthood’s Chatbot Roo Named One of FAST COMPANY’s 2019 World Changing Ideas
For Immediate Release: April 17, 2019
New York, NY — Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s new sexual health chatbot Roo was recently announced as a winner of Fast Company’s 2019 World Changing Ideas Awards. Roo was the overall winner in the Consumer Products category, a finalist in the Apps, Health and Wellness, and Education categories, and an honorable mention in the General Excellence category. The awards honor businesses, policies, projects, and concepts that offer innovative solutions to the issues facing humanity. All of the finalists are highlighted in the May issue of the print magazine, which hits newsstands this week.
Launched in January, Planned Parenthood’s new sexual health chatbot Roo is designed to help teens visiting PlannedParenthood.org get personalized health information instantly — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Teens can ask Roo their burning questions about their health, their body, relationships, consent, or getting care at Planned Parenthood, or choose from a list of questions and get the answers they need within seconds, day or night. No judgment, no secondhand embarrassment. Planned Parenthood partnered with the experts at Work & Co to develop the chatbot.
“We’re honored to be recognized for our sexual health chatbot Roo and thrilled that it’s helping young people get the information they need to stay healthy. For over 100 years, Planned Parenthood has helped educate and inform people about their health,” said Dr. Leana Wen, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “As the leading provider of sex education in the U.S., Planned Parenthood is committed to helping teens stay safe and healthy and finding new ways to provide them the information they need to plan their futures. That means meeting them where they are -- and when it comes to teens, that’s often online and on their phones. No matter who you are or where you are, Planned Parenthood is here for you.”
Planned Parenthood doesn’t just create resources for young people, but with them. To create Roo, Planned Parenthood listened to what teens said they want and need, and looked at their habits online. Work + Co turned to teens at MESA (Math Engineering Science Academy) High School in Bushwick to help develop and test Roo, and provide feedback on what they’re looking for when it comes to sexual health information online. Roo is designed for teens, but can be used by anyone who has questions about sexual and reproductive health. And as more users interact with Roo, it will continue to evolve and be able to answer even more questions on more topics.
As the nation’s largest provider of sex education, Planned Parenthood knows that young people need developmentally-appropriate, medically-accurate information and answers to their questions about sex and relationships to be able to make healthy decisions, without being shamed or judged. All young people, no matter where they live, have the right to the information and skills they need to protect their health and plan their futures. Millions of people across the country rely on Planned Parenthood for the information and care they need to stay healthy. Now they can get the same expert information on their phones, wherever they are.
Now in its third year, the World Changing Ideas Award showcases 17 winners, more than 200 finalists, and more than 300 honorable mentions, with Health and Wellness, Education, and AI and Data among the most popular categories. A panel of eminent judges selected winners and finalists from a pool of more than 2,000 entries, such as Food, Energy, and Developing World Technology. Honorees include advertising giant DDB Group Germany, renewable energy solution Energy Vault, Spinnova for its method of spinning wood into fiber, Planned Parenthood and Work & Co’s chatbot that discreetly answers kids’ questions, and Aira for its special set of glasses for people who are blind or have low vision. The 2019 awards featured entries from across the globe, from New Zealand to Shanghai to Switzerland.
About the World Changing Ideas Awards: World Changing Ideas is one of Fast Company’s major annual awards programs and is focused on social good, seeking to elevate finished products and brave concepts that make the world better. A panel of judges from across sectors choose winners, finalists, and honorable mentions based on feasibility and the potential for impact. With a goal of awarding ingenuity and fostering innovation, Fast Company draws attention to ideas with great potential and helps them expand their reach to inspire more people to start working on solving the problems that affect us all.
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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.