Like Yelp, but for human beings.

Kev W

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/yelp-for-people-app-allows-everyone-you-know-to-rate-you-a6674601.html

An app for reviewing humans is about to be launched.

When the app does launch, probably in late November, you will be able to assign reviews and one- to five-star ratings to everyone you know: your exes, your co-workers, the old guy who lives next door. You can’t opt out — once someone puts your name in the Peeple system, it’s there unless you violate the site’s terms of service. And you can’t delete bad or biased reviews — that would defeat the whole purpose.

Imagine every interaction you’ve ever had suddenly open to the scrutiny of the Internet public.

“People do so much research when they buy a car or make those kinds of decisions,” said Julia Cordray, one of the app’s founders. “Why not do the same kind of research on other aspects of your life?”

This is, in a nutshell, Cordray’s pitch for the app — the one she has been making to development companies, private shareholders, and Silicon Valley venture capitalists. (As of Monday, the company’s shares put its value at $7.6 million.)

One positive that may come from this for me personally is if I ever find out anyone I know is using it then that person will essentially being giving a 0/10 review of themselves and I can avoid them accordingly.

biko

Possibly the worst idea ever.

osarusan

Hopefully privacy laws or potentially huge numbers of lawsuits will stop this going anywhere.

Boom_Bap

I'm a 5 star man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0xCzO8knUc

PirateShampoo

And when they get sued for slander.

Nodin

Kev W wrote: »

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/yelp-for-people-app-allows-everyone-you-know-to-rate-you-a6674601.html

An app for reviewing humans is about to be launched.



One positive that may come from this for me personally is if I ever find out anyone I know is using it then that person will essentially being giving a 0/10 review of themselves and I can avoid them accordingly.

Why is it I feel some qualities will go unnoticed, while large bosoms will most certainly not.....?

Ruu

$7.6 billion?!??!

<insert Goodfellas laughing picture>

Kev W

Nodin wrote: »

Why is it I feel some qualities will go unnoticed, while large bosoms will most certainly not.....?

If people want to comment on my bosoms they can say it to my face.

Flippyfloppy

That will help online bullying....










Naat.

Nodin

PirateShampoo wrote: »

And when they get sued for slander.

'Your honour, I submit that the Plaintiff is most defintely, in fact, a "geebag" and intend to submit visual evidence and testimony to that effect'

Nodin

Kev W wrote: »

If people want to comment on my bosoms they can say it to my face.

....they'll probably try but end up saying it to your bosoms.

Duggy747

From her Linkedin page about it:

Looking at everyone in the three ways you could possibly know someone – personally, professionally and romantically – you can provide a rating and review on everyone you come in contact with, while allowing yourself to be reviewed.

What an absolute horrid idea for a product, first thing that came to mind is how it'll be abused by those who bully others.

osarusan

Ruu wrote: »

$7.6 billion?!??!

<insert Goodfellas laughing picture>

It's million.

Ruu

Still funny!

osarusan

Duggy747 wrote: »

What an absolute horrid idea for a product, first thing that came to mind is how it'll be abused by those who bully others.

Positive ratings post immediately; negative ratings are queued in a private inbox for 48 hours in case of disputes. If you haven’t registered for the site, and thus can’t contest those negative ratings, your profile only shows positive reviews.

Defeats the purpose to a certain extent I'd imagine.

Mother Brain

I am not a number! I am a man god damn it. I ...

Oh wait it seems I am a number... my mistake so. Carry on!

Delirium

LOL

https://twitter.com/sharonodea/status/649575258123579392

jimgoose

Gowls.

Nodin

jimgoose wrote: »

Gowls.

There's a gowel app? Won't end well.

Robsweezie

What you'll get is a bunch of kids rating each other lowly and leaving comments like "bitch, fAgget , ugly, etc. And then they will likely have the blood of a suicidal kid on their hands.

DivingDuck

The idea of a person-rating app similar to Yelp/TripAdvisor sounds like a bit of a joke, but it's currently on its way to being a reality, if its developers have anything to say about.

Are you horrified by this prospect, or do you welcome the idea?

Personally, I'm hoping this dies in a big fire before it ever goes live, something that seems increasingly likely by the day. There is mass objection to it from all quarters, and the creators don't seem to be able to handle the uninvited criticism, which is hilarious given that you can add other people to app for review without their consent or even knowledge.

Apparently you need someone's phone number to add them to the app, but how will this be verified? Especially since you can't get the review removed by claiming your number, it seems like you could add any number for someone's profile. Or will they remove a review if someone replies when they get a text saying there's a review of them on the site saying "This isn't Jane Doe" and they then have a conflict between the owner of the phone and the person who submitted the review claiming that number belongs to that person? Will they use Facebook or Google to associate the numbers?

Apparently they tried to use FB's API and got knocked back (either for that or something else), but the whole thing reeks of mishandling and an utter absence of thought or competence. Had they made it an opt-in system from the get-go, I wouldn't have objected to it. However, making it something you either have no means to opt out of or something you have to sign in to opt out of (like so many tracking cookies) makes it sound like the people behind the app have zero concept of the potential this has for abuse ("He's fat and he doesn't shower often enough"), danger ("So that's where that bitch that left me went to... must look her up"), and causing distress ("But I thought my brother-in-law really liked me").

Where do other people stand on this?

c_man

They'll crash and burn without much fuss after the initial PR hype fades. Anonymous reviews of people just won't succeed, it never does!

MadsL

c_man wrote: »

They'll crash and burn without much fuss after the initial PR hype fades. Anonymous reviews of people just won't succeed, it never does!

Not bad, I'll give you 3 stars, would read again.

DivingDuck

c_man wrote: »

They'll crash and burn without much fuss after the initial PR hype fades. Anonymous reviews of people just won't succeed, it never does!

They won't be anonymous. You have to have a FB account and link your reviews to it, as I understand, though this doesn't make it better.

The subject of the review does not have to have a FB account, so someone who has removed their social media presence from the web for safety or other reasons can still be added and discussed here.

Hell, there's even the potential for creating profiles for people who don't exist providing you can get a valid mobile number, which isn't hard to do.

They also haven't addressed (that I've seen) how they're going to differentiate John Smith 000001 from John Smiths 000002-100000. Will your place of residence and DOB be required, too?

It's sheer nonsense, but it absolutely makes my blood boil.

stimpson

I wonder where they got the idea...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI4kiPaKfAE

osarusan

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057502158

Boom_Bap

Threadz merged.

nyarlothothep

Initially I was horrified at the idea, and I'm still against it as it will invariably be used by bullies, people with axes to grind. It's also an invasion of privacy, people who aren't on it can still get rated or am I missing something? However, most people hate me and I don't care as the majority of people suck, it's a mutual dislike thing. Imagine if this went mainstream, it would be used to impose social conformity to a terrifying extent. Some of the most hated people in history were actually incredibly cool, they just went against the herd or had personalities deemed unacceptable in the same way that certain personality traits are no longer legitimate in today's world. It really showcases how lame contemporary society, people just twiddling their thumbs on apps rather than I dunno, reading a book, learning an instrument, becoming the next NASA engineer etc.

jimgoose

nyarlothothep wrote: »

...It really showcases how lame contemporary society, people just twiddling their thumbs on apps rather than I dunno, reading a book, learning an instrument, becoming the next NASA engineer etc.

I've said it many a time - there's a fierce shortage of sabre-tooth tigers to run from, and it's having it's effect. :pac:

DivingDuck

The more I read about this, the more I wonder if it's some sort of "social experiment" (i.e., pretentious prank).

I don't think I've ever seen anything so entirely reviled online for a very long time. There is, on every site I've seen it discussed, a nigh-universal consensus that this is a terrible, terrible idea with no redeeming merit whatsoever-- how often does that happen? Almost never.

Maybe that's the "gift" the founders are giving us: a common enemy to bring us together?

I read something earlier that said the phone number verification happens by checking the phone contacts of the person submitting the profile. So if I want to make a profile for John Doe, all I have to do is put in John Doe (0861234567) in my contacts and they'll take that as proof that's really his number. Nonsense! I can't imagine what world these people live in if they think this is valid or acceptable.

They're apparently on Good Morning America later today, so maybe then they'll admit this is all a big joke?

robinph

They couldn't even come up with a unique name for their app:

http://building10.com/

Peeple is a wifi connected camera for your door so you can see who is there, even if you are not.

hmmm

Is there anyone who hasn't had this as an idea for a website? Thankfully almost everyone else in the world decided it was an awful idea and dropped it.

whatismyname

Apparently when the reviewer enters your mobile you'll get a text, including a link to claim your profile.

Until you claim your profile, only positive reviews will be displayed.

Still a horrible idea either way.

DivingDuck

robinph wrote: »

They couldn't even come up with a unique name for their app:

http://building10.com/

Peeple is a wifi connected camera for your door so you can see who is there, even if you are not.

Even the slogan has been done before, to the point where the law firm who uses it (@forthepeople on Twitter) had to release a tweet about it:

#peeple is not #forthepeople - stand up against apps like this that encourage bullying #stopbullying

The poor folks behind the Peeple device have been putting out fires all day, too.

Everyone who has been associated with this disaster against their will is trying desperately to run damage control. It's just an utter mess all around.

robinph

whatismyname wrote: »

Apparently when the reviewer enters your mobile you'll get a text, including a link to claim your profile.

Until you claim your profile, only positive reviews will be displayed.

Still a horrible idea either way.

Nope, until the person with that phone number claims the profile, only positive reviews will be displayed.

There is nothing to say that the phone number is yours, other than the person submitting the review said it was.

whatismyname

robinph wrote: »

Nope, until the person with that phone number claims the profile, only positive reviews will be displayed.

There is nothing to say that the phone number is yours, other than the person submitting the review said it was.

True.

One of the many flaws that it seems full of.

DivingDuck

whatismyname wrote: »

Apparently when the reviewer enters your mobile you'll get a text, including a link to claim your profile.

Until you claim your profile, only positive reviews will be displayed.

But what is "positive"?

If someone's a recovering alcoholic and I wanted to destroy them, all I have to do is post about what mad craic they are and how they were the life and soul of my tequila shooters party last weekend.

If someone's a conservative lobbyist, posting about their impressive voting record on LGBT issues wouldn't exactly be something they'd welcome.

There are many ways to write something "positive" that could actually be damaging to the person you were writing it about. Besides, considering the level of expertise shown so far (by which I mean none), my expectations for their programming would be very low. They already implied that reviews will be declared negative or positive based on the number of stars given, so all you have to do is give three stars to get it pushed through and avoid using coarse/negative language and you can make someone's life very uncomfortable very quickly.

So unless the subject of the review has a profile, they won't publish an negative review? What's the point so? Just stay off the damn site and no one can muddy your character.

It's a horrible idea, made for trolls and bullies and stalkers and anyone with a grudge. What is wrong with people, thinking this is a good idea. I hope it dies quickly.

DivingDuck

Candie wrote: »

So unless the subject of the review has a profile, they won't publish an negative review? What's the point so?

The app is currently (proposed to be) free, but here's nothing to guarantee it'll stay that way. I imagine the option to remove bad reviews would be the kind feature that would really attract users to a Premium, subscription membership level, if they were to offer one...

Then again, the whole thing is just mad. The part about having 48 hours to "work it out" with someone who's posted a negative review before it goes live... Like I said, the more I read about it, the more I wonder if it's an elaborate hoax.

DivingDuck

DivingDuck wrote: »

The app is currently (proposed to be) free, but here's nothing to guarantee it'll stay that way. I imagine the option to remove bad reviews would be the kind feature that would really attract users to a Premium, subscription membership level, if they were to offer one...

Then again, the whole thing is just mad. The part about having 48 hours to "work it out" with someone who's posted a negative review before it goes live... Like I said, the more I read about it, the more I wonder if it's an elaborate hoax.

Who would join at all, if it means opening up the opportunity to be the subject of bad reviews? Surely anyone with any sense would just give the whole idea a wide berth, regardless of the reviews?

It sounds crazy, and I suspect that if it is real that it won't last. If it does last, then there goes the last of my faith in humanity.

Rating people like commodities or services, really. 10/10 for looks, but 1/10 for sense.

DivingDuck

Candie wrote: »

Who would join at all, if it means opening up the opportunity to be the subject of bad reviews?

The thing is, if it had been an opt-in service with the profile owner having the ability to hide negative reviews, I can see how this would absolutely be useful and desirable.

A site where someone could get an overview of a person's better qualities so they didn't have to sell themselves would be genius. Isn't there a dating app that basically operates around the idea of "date my friend, sure he's great altogether?" (I checked, and there is; it's MySingleFriend.)

Wouldn't a general app or site that did this be great? You could include the link in your CV and your potential boss could see genuine but carefully curated feedback from people who personally knew you. It would be excellent for figuring out if someone had good social or networking skills, and would mean the end of trying to find the balance between showcasing your abilities enough to get the job without showing off to the point where you're overlooked for being arrogant.

In the non-professional world, it would give people the ability to have a virtual wing-man to help them pick up girls or make new friends. I know that sounds shallow or silly, but the truth is, people do seem to be influenced by how many friends a person has on FB/Instagram, and this would be an extension of that.

Hell, even a site to give you straight-up honest feedback wouldn't be a bad thing, so long as was a. opt-in, and that b. visible to the profile owner only so that nobody else could use it to publicly ruin you.

Where the creators went wrong was trying to combine these ideas. Either one would have been fine-- but together, especially without it being something you volunteer to participate in, it's an unmitigated horrorshow.

starling

So it's basically bathroom graffiti for the e-generation...sounds like something the Plastics would have invented for a school assignment if they had to think of an idea for an app.



On Wednesdays we wear pink.

DivingDuck

Candie wrote: »

Who would join at all, if it means opening up the opportunity to be the subject of bad reviews? Surely anyone with any sense would just give the whole idea a wide berth, regardless of the reviews.

Actually, I've just thought of something else. I think a lot of people who would otherwise have ignored the app would be so maddened with curiosity once they got the review notification that they'd have to join to sate it. Just to find out what people were saying about them. It would be a hard lure for a lot of people to resist, I think.

And I also think that's exactly what the developers are banking on.

DivingDuck

DivingDuck wrote: »

Wouldn't a general app or site that did this be great?

No, not in my opinion. I hate the idea of humans being rated like the star ratings on new fridges, or hotels. It's so completely subjective that it's virtually useless anyway, and it's meagre possible benefits are outweighed by a factor of zillions by it's likely misuse.

It's like rating people out of 10, reductive and dehumanising.

starling

Is ratemyteacher still a thing? I remember looking up one of my old teachers, one of those rare dead poets society type of teachers who are genuinely gifted and committed, the kind of teacher you never forget, and even he had the odd asshat leaving nasty comments about him.

DivingDuck

Candie wrote: »

No, not in my opinion. I hate the idea of humans being rated like the star ratings on new fridges, or hotels. It's so completely subjective that it's virtually useless anyway, and it's meagre possible benefits are outweighed by a factor of zillions by it's likely misuse.

It's like rating people out of 10, reductive and dehumanising.

I was thinking less rating and more feedback, like the blurbs authors get for their books, or like they use on movie posters.

"Candie has super grammar and always replies promptly to her quoted posts."
"DivingDuck always tries to offer assistance wherever possible."

That sort of thing. Granted, it wouldn't be a metric that would be much use alone, but I think you could still tell a lot from what people chose to comment on, and what the profile owner allowed to remain visible.

robinph

DivingDuck wrote: »

I was thinking less rating and more feedback, like the blurbs authors get for their books, or like they use on movie posters.

"Candie has super grammar and always replies promptly to her quoted posts."
"DivingDuck always tries to offer assistance wherever possible."

That sort of thing. Granted, it wouldn't be a metric that would be much use alone, but I think you could still tell a lot from what people chose to comment on, and what the profile owner allowed to remain visible.

Like LinkedIn then?

DivingDuck

robinph wrote: »

Like LinkedIn then?

Possibly? I've never used it.

starling

DivingDuck wrote: »

I was thinking less rating and more feedback, like the blurbs authors get for their books, or like they use on movie posters.

"Candie has super grammar and always replies promptly to her quoted posts."
"DivingDuck always tries to offer assistance wherever possible."

That sort of thing. Granted, it wouldn't be a metric that would be much use alone, but I think you could still tell a lot from what people chose to comment on, and what the profile owner allowed to remain visible.

So basically they just get all their mates to write nice things about them and use that to get a job??

DivingDuck

DivingDuck wrote: »

"Candie has super grammar and always replies promptly to her quoted posts."

See this is where the idea fails.

I'm terrible with apostrophes, use too many commas, and I often miss quoted posts and never reply to them at all.

So your positive impression of me is only your truth and not one by which I can be universally judged.

Most pertinently, I'm a thundering bitch, but you wouldn't be allowed to even say that!

DivingDuck

Candie wrote: »

See this is where the idea fails.

I'm terrible with apostrophes, use too many commas, and I often miss quoted posts and never reply to them at all.

So your positive impression of me is only your truth and not one by which I can be universally judged.

Most pertinently, I'm a thundering bitch, but you wouldn't be allowed to even say that!

I didn't say it would be accurate. But I can see why it would appeal, not grossly offend, and be to some degree useful.

I agree there's no universal truth, but people will go looking for clues to inform themselves wherever they can find it: picking through people's Facebooks, or their old MySpaces, or whatever.

For that reason, I still think a central location for comments that you could direct people to would be useful, especially if you had the ability to curate it. If you don't think my assessment of you (even the positive parts) is relevant or helpful for those you'd like to know you, you'd be able to omit it.