People already hate "Peeple," the not-yet-launched Yelp for people
If Julia Cordray and Nicole McCullough genuinely expected their people-rating app to be a place for glowing recommendations rather than unbridled negativity, they're learning the hard way that folks don't play nice on the Internet.
Peeple, likened to a Yelp for humans, lets people leave reviews and ratings (one to five stars) for other people. If the person you want to review isn't registered on the app yet, you can add him or her to leave your review by providing their cellphone number.
Peeple wasn't scheduled to launch until November, but vocal denizens of the web are already giving it zero stars.
"At least I signed up to have the world judge and grade me publicly," model Chrissy Teigen tweeted Thursday. "I f***ing hate this app and the boardroom table it was created around."
Never mind that no one has actually used the app yet: Teigen's sentiments were part of a tidal wave of social media vitriol hurled at the cofounders, whose stated mission, according to the app's Facebook page, is "to find the good in you."
"We are bringing integrity into an online reputation management system," Cordray told "Alberta Prime Time."
The app uses Facebook for login to verify that all users are over 21 and posting under their real names. No anonymous bashing allowed. Good reviews -- three stars and better -- post instantly. Negative reviews are held for 48 hours to allow reviewer and reviewee to work out their differences.
"If for some reason you can't turn a negative into a positive, that comment does go live after 48 hours and you have the right to publicly defend yourself," Cordray told the Alberta news show. "Our app does not tolerate any sort of bullying and anything inappropriate. This is two people -- two real people -- facing each other and having the right to work something out."
Perhaps you could chalk up her optimism to a Canadian disposition. But her backers must have seen something in the idea. The Washington Post estimated the company's value at $7.6 million.