Judge for yourself: All you need to know about the Peeple app
In-the-works person-rating app Peeple has whipped up an extensive social media backlash for its fundamental objective of providing users a platform to judge their friends and peers.
The app, cofounded by Julia Cordray and Nicole McCullough, is is reportedly scheduled for launch in November and carries a value of $7.6m.
Its primary function, and something which caused a stir online, was the fact that the app encourages people to rate each other on their mobiles. Accounts are activated with Facebook verification, to stop users operating anonymously, however, individuals can be added to the registry with the addition of their mobile number.
These inactive accounts, which help populate the app's person library, house only positive reviews until it is linked with the individual's Facebook account, from this point they can answer or resolve (but not delete) criticism.
Carrying the same name but no affilation with the Peeple photosharing app, users are judged in three categories, ‘professionally’, ‘personally’ or 'romantically'.
"Peeple is an app that allows you to rate and comment about the people you interact with in your daily lives on the following three categories: personal, professional, and dating," says the company's website.
"Peeple will enhance your online reputation for access to better quality networks, top job opportunities, and promote more informed decision making about people."
The app described as ‘Yelp for People’ by numerous media outlets sparked a dissociative tweet from Yelp.
#Peeple is NOT affiliated with Yelp. Much like the Facebook privacy statuses and Big Foot, this is a myth. #TheMoreYouKnow
— Yelp (@Yelp) October 1, 2015
However, on the back of the media attention, the app’s co-founders tweeted that there are 100 beta testers signing up every minute.
We have a 100 Beta Testers a minute signing up. Excited for your interest in the app @peepleforpeople #peeple #Peepleapp #JuliaCordray
— JAC & NIC (@peepleforpeople) October 2, 2015
Of course, many took to Twitter theorising that the app was in actual fact a PR stunt of some sort – without providing much in the way of evidence.
@hugorifkind @Sathnam I keep hoping, naively, that peeple will be revealed as a stunt for a privacy campaign.
— Janine Gibson (@janinegibson) October 1, 2015
Hm. April 1st. The optimist in me hopes this #Peeple thing is just an elaborate Black Mirror-esque prank. pic.twitter.com/YFSoDb0ZyP
— Josh Scherr (@joshscherr) October 1, 2015
I'm 90% convinced #peeple is a viral marketing stunt for the new season of Black Mirror
— (╯°□°）╯︵ ɥɔʇǝןɟ (@rfletcherEW) October 1, 2015
Calling it: Peeple is viral marketing for the new Netflix Black Mirror season
— Abi Wilkinson (@AbiWilks) October 1, 2015
In a move doused in irony, Cordray looked to silence feedback on the app’s Facebook page, clearly uncomfortable with being judged.
Founder of #Peeple, an app designed to collect unsolicited feedback doesn't appear to like unsolicited feedback. pic.twitter.com/MmYZW3oHw4
— Sharon O'Dea (@sharonodea) October 1, 2015
How would you rate the Peeple concept on a scale of 1 to 5?