Peeple sites 'disappear' from web after backlash over app

[stuarty211]

Peeple sites 'disappear' from web after backlash over app

 

 

BBC News- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-34446882

 

The website and social media pages for controversial human-rating app Peeple have been taken offline.

Visitors to the Twitter and Facebook page for the Peeple app have been met with messages explaining such content is unavailable or that it doesn't exist.

Similarly, the app's website returns a "Not Found" error for many users.

The Peeple app sparked a storm of controversy when it was announced last week as a way to rate individuals.

While the official website for the app is inaccessible for many, some users have reported being directed to a landing page that reads: "Join the positive revolution #oct12".

Julia Cordray, one of the founders of the app, told the BBC in an email: "We look forward to October 12, 2015 where we will be taping for an exclusive talk show and expose our concept to the world.

"World's largest positivity app for positive people launching November 2015 on iOS and Android."

However, Ms Cordray did not provide any details about the talk show or explain why the Peeple social media accounts have been disabled.

A hoax?

 

Over the weekend, some began to speculate that the app, which wasn't due to launch until November, was in fact a hoax.

Myth-busting website Snopes.com, for instance, considered the online footprint of both the app and its founders - and the fact that several details released about the service remained curiously vague.

However, Ms Cordray directly denied suggestions that the app was a hoax in ablog published on LinkedIn.

She said that she had received death threats and insulting comments since news of Peeple went viral.

She added that a previously announced feature of the app, in which negative comments made about individuals would be posted after a certain time limit, would now no longer be part of it.

"I want the world to be positive and this is how I'm going to inspire it by creating the world's largest positivity app," she wrote.

Outcry 'unsurprising'

Uproar over the app was "unsurprising", according to social media researcher Dr Ansgar Koene at the University of Nottingham.

"The obvious thing is the equating people with objects, with services that are being provided," he told the BBC.

He also criticised the company's management of negative comments on social media.

"If you looked at things like the Facebook page that the CEOs of the company made it was interesting to see how they blatantly just ignored any of the negative messages."

Dr Koene added that, although part of him "hopes" it is a hoax or joke, he would have expected a statement announcing this to have been published by now.

[Nexxus]

that was quick

[DishyBrute]

I feel like Last Week Tonight made the final blow.

[ivan134]

I'm digressing, but the idea behind this app is the reason I thought Watch Dogs was a lazy and bad game. It gave you maybe 1 or 2 pieces of info about the person's life and hobby and apparently that was enough to let you come to a conclusion about what kind of person they were.

 

On topic, you have to be a really fucked up person to want to make an app like this.

[Rune]

Good riddance.

[Real_PhillBert]

Someone really didn't like their rating...

[Trik'Stari]

Someone really didn't like their rating...

Especially considering it was well deserved.

 

I'm digressing, but the idea behind this app is the reason I thought Watch Dogs was a lazy and bad game. It gave you maybe 1 or 2 pieces of info about the person's life and hobby and apparently that was enough to let you come to a conclusion about what kind of person they were.

 

On topic, you have to be a really fucked up person to want to make an app like this.

 

The sad thing is, you can accurately judge a person based on only two pieces of information. Especially if both of them are things they do when alone.

 

Oh wait, that's not politically correct. Forget I said anything.

[thebennyboy]

Was a stupid app anyway. Good riddance.

[hk29]

ha.. and the ceo is canadian according to her linkin page. really navie to think you can control product usage once you released it. like the internet was intended for scientific communication but then users found porn and the rest is history.

 

WTF i thought all canadians we good nice people sharing maple syrup with the world.

 

** bieber isnt canadian anymore he being in the US too long. DAMN

[MattLantis]

I'm confused as to what this is. Can somebody fill me in?

[Qvist]

 

On topic, you have to be a really fucked up person to want to make an app like this.

 

Or maybe you just have to own 2 marketing companys, and force ppl to enter all their personal info in order to make an account and refute negative reviews that others put up of you...

[NoobsWeStand]

I'm confused as to what this is. Can somebody fill me in?

"yelp for people"

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/459498-yelp-for-people-app-will-let-you-rate-real-life-human-beings/

[MrDynamicMan]

Thank god.

Probably the main reason this was taken down was that it pissed off some influential celebrity/position.

[MattLantis]

"yelp for people"

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/459498-yelp-for-people-app-will-let-you-rate-real-life-human-beings/

Thanks

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

I feel like Last Week Tonight made the final blow.

 

Just watched it, and John Oliver really went to town on it indeed.

 

If only that guy could run for President ...