====What form do badges take? Is it just something I stick on a web page or sew on my shirt?====
*The badge itself is more than a static image or button -- its value comes from the information or "metadata" attached to it.
*The information "behind" each badge provides justification and validation, including[File: **who issued the badge **the issue date **how the badge was earned **hyperlinks back to artifacts, documents, or testimonials demonstrating the work that lead to earning the badgeAnatomy_of_an_Open_Badge. png]**enable authentication back to the issuer. *This supporting data contained within the badge reduces the risk of gaming abusing the system (e.g., illegitimately copying badges and putting them on your site) and builds in an implicit validation system.
*The metadata may vary based on the particular skill, assessment and issuer.
