Peeple Has Arrived On Your Mobile Device!

Peeple, a controversial people rating app that allows users to rate people like how they rate restaurants and business, has arrived on Android and iOS devices. What could possibly go wrong?

The basic idea of the application allows you to "create a safe place" where you manage your online reputation and to quickly check the reputation of others. The app's elevator pitch is "where your character is your currency."



Yet, I know the internet. It's not always sunshine and roses where people "spread kindness and accolades" for everyone. Some people just love to troll and watch the world burn. Yet, the feel good story on the Peepl's website is as follows:

Years ago, Nicole set out to change the way people can learn about each other online. She knew the value of a referral and then it struck her – why is there nothing that provides recommendations and commentary on aspects that truly matter to us?

Teaming up with her best friend Julia, the two innovative women set out to change the way people can learn about each other online. The Peeple app allows you to better choose who you hire, do business with, date, become your neighbours, roommates, landlords/tenants, and watch, teach, and care for your children. There are endless reasons as to why we would want this reference check for the people around us.

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

Once armed with these recommendations you can turn them into your new form of currency to get better job opportunities, better dates, growing relationships, and networking opportunities. The online social media space was lacking a safe place to manage your online reputation.

We are confident that with Peeple you deserve to have it all!

I'm pretty sure Facebook already fills most what this app is trying to "disrupt." I can quickly check out people to see wether they're an credentialed intellectual or a bonified troll who only speaks in memes.



In a interview with the Calgary Herald Co-founder Julia Cordray explained what a paid subscription called the "Truth License" would look like.

“If a mom wants to look up a coach for her kids, she can see all the amazing things on that person’s profile, but maybe there’s some areas of improvement for that person,” explained Cordray.

“So when the mom upgrades to the truth license, she’ll be able to see all the recommendations on the back-end that the coach never published on their profile.”

In other words, assuming most people wouldn’t voluntarily make their negative reviews public, the app could in effect be positive-feedback only without the subscription, which Cordray said they hoped to offer by April.

Caught between the original intent of the app — to provide transparency and accountability down to the individual level — and attempts to appease critics, the fate of Peeple rests squarely in the hands of the internet. In recent months, the internet has been polarized between crusades against bullying and insensitivity, as well as tireless campaigns defending free speech.

In spite of the controversy, Cordray remains optimistic about the new app. “I really feel like we honoured our users and gave them what they asked for,” she said.

Read more at Disinfo.com

Disinfo.com is AboveTopSecret.com's "sister" site dealing with a broad range of issues related to disinformation, misinformation, and missing information in the media; as well as many of the "alternative topics" discussed on ATS. We provide this Disinfo.com article as-is because we believe it will spark additional interesting and valuable discussion here on ATS

My sentiment is just do not sign up for this app and you have nothing to worry about since no one can rate you unless you register and accept the rating.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Having an account allows you to approve and display certain comments. However paid subscribers "truth Licenses" would be able to see everything. It is unclear how many of those there would be however. If Facebook likes or Twitter followers are any indication of success, this app will surely fail.

Hear that low hum?

It's growing...

Get louder and louder...

It's the sound of a large herd of lawyers running to check out Peeple for possible defamation lawsuits.

a reply to: TheAmazingYeti

The paid accounts will be able to view hidden comments. If you do not sign up there will be no comments. So I say do not sign up.

a reply to: masqua

Much like how YouTube handles copyright claims. They'll probably end up differing the issue to the user.

it's like small town gossip, where everybody knows what and who everybody else is doing, but for the whole world.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: TheAmazingYeti

The paid accounts will be able to view hidden comments. If you do not sign up there will be no comments. So I say do not sign up.

If you go the website you'll see this...



You can still write recommendations about people without them being a member of it. Whether paying members can or cannot see it... is yet to be determined

a reply to: TheAmazingYeti

Holy crap dude, read the last sentence, 'Their recommendations never go live without their permission', and that includes paid members.

You can only give permission if you sign up so DO NOT SIGN UP.

Making sense yet?

So it's like Angie's list, but for a wider range of folks?

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: TheAmazingYeti

Holy crap dude, read the last sentence, 'Their recommendations never go live without their permission', and that includes paid members.

You can only give permission if you sign up so DO NOT SIGN UP.

Making sense yet?

I don't see anywhere that says "and that includes paid members." Are we looking at different webpages? If paid subscribers can see hidden messages that people don't want you to see, why's it a stretch for them to see unapproved messages?

So who here wants to start a PR/image consulting company with me, directly targeted at raising someone's ratings on this new "Peeple"?

We've all seen fake reviews on Amazon and other places...even those "this item was received at discount for my honest review" -- internet "reviews" are fishy and can be manipulated really easily.

So, who's on board with me? I bet there's a lot of people who'll swarm to my new company to improve their rating. I've had the plan in the works for a while too.

I mean, people even pay to inflate and boost their Twitter numbers/followers.

originally posted by: TheAmazingYeti
I don't see anywhere that says "and that includes paid members." Are we looking at different webpages? If paid subscribers can see hidden messages that people don't want you to see, why's it a stretch for them to see unapproved messages?

How does the message get hidden if the person it was about never signed up to:

1) Approve it?
2) Hide it?




edit on 7-3-2016 by AugustusMasonicus because: networkdude has no beer

a reply to: DisinfoCom

I will NEVER sign up for Peeple. I have no desire to "rate" on a five-star basis ANYONE, and I have no desire to be rated. Yikes. It's bad enough when I put out a book!!

Why would someone sign up?

- AB

a reply to: masqua

Yep.

I predict a very short future for this.

This has got to be just about the dumbest thing to come down the Interwebs since......

...

...

...I can't think of anything, right off hand.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I imagine you'll get an email that says something like:

Your idiot friend so and so wrote a review of you on peeple. Create an account today so you can see and approve this review.

And then bam, floodgates open on your ass.

a reply to: EmmanuelGoldstein

I suppose the people that are dumb enough to do that also think they have a Nigerian Uncle that wants to wire them a few million.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

It would conceivably just be assigned a "hidden state" until it gets approved. I'm assuming you've never programmed an application before. When data is input into a system, a status would be applied to it. On or off... Paid subscribers are assumed to see all messages if not what is the incentive of becoming a paid subscriber?

originally posted by: TheAmazingYeti
It would conceivably just be assigned a "hidden state" until it gets approved.

You can assume whatever you want, the app's description clearly states that it needs to be approved by the person it is directed to and then hidden. You cannot do either without signing up.

a reply to: DisinfoCom

great. another way for people to sue people. I already got sued for a review on yelp for 100K.