back to article Yelp-for-people app Peeple is back – so we rated Julia, its cofounder

When does determination become stupidity? We're about to find out with the launch of slander-as-a-service app Peeple. It's been five months since the "Yelp for People" received a wave of press attention and then a flood of internet criticism when it was revealed that the app would allow people to rate other human beings. The …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Social bollocks is close to a zero sum game. If a particular medium for example annotated images or short (140 char) messages is worth doing, then it's either already been done or will be immediately bought by FaeceBook.

    There is no room for whatever this is in the overcrowded market place. It doesn't marginally increase the amount you can harass and stalk people over what FaceBook already offers. Nor does it allow you to corporate whore yourself any better than LinkedIn.

    1. werdsmith Silver badge

      Yes, there is nothing to stop somebody creating a facebook, twitter, linked out or indeed tinder account in the name of Drew Smith and then creating content that would be attributed to me as validation doesn't extend down to mere plebs.

      But if they did, then I wouldn't see any of it and neither would I care because anybody that does actually know me is aware that I don't do any of that brain dead shit.

    2. Bob Vistakin
      Holmes

      Then again, this does sound like extortion, so perhaps the point is to get bought out by a bigger specialist in this area.

      1. JLV
        FAIL

        >bigger specialist

        Yeah, because this article is clearly related to MS. Somehow.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: >bigger specialist

          It's Bob.

          He wont let simple facts like that get in the way of bashing MS...

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Go

    Oh yeah--BRING IT, PEEPLE!!

    Thanks to the many available free email services, I am going to flood Peeple with self-reviews, offering up to the public helpful information on me. Objective perspectives such as "Marketing Hack--to know him is to love him is to know him" and "Marketing Hack--I only met him as he exited an icy torrential flood bearing orphans and kittens on his broad shoulders, but I have to say he was still a damned good-looking guy!"

    My place in posterity is secure!

    1. Danny 14

      Re: Oh yeah--BRING IT, PEEPLE!!

      I intend to add to your profile how you reneged on a modest bet at the pub whilst playing shove ha'penny. On another occasion in the pub you clearly cheated whilst playing dwile flonking by contesting a swadger.

      1. graeme leggett Silver badge

        Re: Oh yeah--BRING IT, PEEPLE!!

        "dwile flonking"

        careful, giving away your location (and/or territorial affiliations) there.

        1. FuzzyWuzzys
          Facepalm

          Re: Oh yeah--BRING IT, PEEPLE!!

          I wouldn't worry graeme leggett, it's hardly at the top of "must visit" places at the best of times...not unless you have a "special" thing for you cousin!

    2. Peter Simpson 1
      Thumb Up

      Re: Oh yeah--BRING IT, PEEPLE!!

      For an almost insignificant donation, I'll provide objective support of these claims.

    3. To Mars in Man Bras!
      Holmes

      @Marketing Back Re: Oh yeah--BRING IT, PEEPLE!!

      Surely a more profitable strategy would be to use the fake accounts to accuse yourself of sheep molesting and other nefarious nocturnal past-times. Then, a quick consultation with Messrs. Sue, Grabbit and Runne —and you could be crying all the way to the bank.

  3. a_yank_lurker

    Legal Liability?

    Does anyone know about their legal liability in Canada for slander/libel? It would seem they are pushing the edge of lawsuit territory.

    1. Danny 14

      Re: Legal Liability?

      just contest it in a country that has sharper laws on such things but are still selling it via the app store. Somewhere like Germany will not care the company lives in another country, sell in Germany, expect to be taken to court in Germany.

    2. bigtimehustler

      Re: Legal Liability?

      That is down to the person who says it, not the medium it is transmitted on, otherwise facebook would be in court every day for slander. If you say something on this app that is not true, you fall foul or the slander laws, not the app.

    3. The Dude

      Re: Legal Liability?

      Good luck on that one. Canadian Defamation law is worse than useless unless you already have a lot of political pull. In which case, you don't need those laws.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Two thumbs up

    for ignoring the hell out of this as the cure for this.

  5. Youngone Silver badge

    What? Shaddup!

    I've only ever heard of Peeple on El Reg, and while I appreciate the heads up I suspect that's the way it will stay.

    I'm anticipating a few stories over the next year or so about how it's not going as well as they thought it might, then one detailing the whole thing shutting down.

    Unless of course they can interest Rupert Murdoch. He's stupid enough to buy this crap.

    Look at who he's married. Proves my point.

    1. AMBxx Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Rupert Murdoch

      A billionaire who's just married a model 25 years his junior. That's your definition of stupid?

      1. Dan 55 Silver badge

        Re: Rupert Murdoch

        "So, what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?"

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Rupert Murdoch @Dan55

          Seconds: You beat me by mere fractions of a minute....

        2. Ian Johnston Silver badge

          Re: Rupert Murdoch

          I believe the original Mrs Merton question was "So, Debbie McGee, what first attracted you to short, balding millionaire Paul Daniels?"

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Rupert Murdoch

            "I believe the original Mrs Merton question was "So, Debbie McGee, what first attracted you to short, balding millionaire Paul Daniels?""

            Hmm, No it wasn't https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj-9lSEBBm0

            1. AMBxx Silver badge
              Unhappy

              Re: Paul Daniels

              Be nice to him, he's very ill at the moment.

              1. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge

                Re: Paul Daniels

                .Be nice to him, he's very ill at the moment

                Not just him - Debbie has stuck by him over 30+ years

                Mrs Merton 0 Debbie McGee 1

              2. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Re: Paul Daniels

                he is a thoroughly decent bloke.

                Shame how shit happens to the decent honest folk...

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Rupert Murdoch

        So, Ms Hall, what first attracted you to the multi millionaire Rupert Murdoch?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: What? Shaddup!

      "Rupert Murdoch. He's stupid enough to buy this crap."

      There's someone stupid on here, and it isn't Murdoch my friend. Idiots don't get to be worth 12.4 BILLION dollars. You may dislike him but the man has his finger on the pulse of low brow humanity and sells them everything they could desire media wise.

      "Look at who he's married. Proves my point."

      Getting to shag someone 25 years younger than yourself when you're a wrinkly old git is stupid? Sign me up for Stupidity 101 when I'm that age then! He knows perfectly well she probably only cares about his money but do you think he has the sort of personality who wants or needs a "soul mate"? Puulease.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: What? Shaddup!

        Idiots don't get to be worth 12.4 BILLION dollars

        Maybe not, but let's see the vile, wrinkled old lizard try and carry all that loot into the hereafter.

        1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

          Re: What? Shaddup!

          "Maybe not, but let's see the vile, wrinkled old lizard try and carry all that loot into the hereafter."

          Sadly, he's already procreated so has someone equally as slimy to leave it to (allegedly)

      2. hplasm
        Facepalm

        Re: What? Shaddup!

        " Idiots don't get to be worth 12.4 BILLION dollars."

        Bollocks. Reality proves you are very wrong. Sad but true.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: What? Shaddup!

          "Bollocks. Reality proves you are very wrong. Sad but true."

          No, it doesn't. You not liking someone or what they do or what they stand for doesn't make them an idiot however much you'd like it to be otherwise. Idiots don't become self made men worth the GDP of a small country.

      3. FuzzyWuzzys
        Facepalm

        Re: What? Shaddup!

        "Getting to shag someone 25 years younger than yourself when you're a wrinkly old git is stupid? Sign me up for Stupidity 101 when I'm that age then! He knows perfectly well she probably only cares about his money but do you think he has the sort of personality who wants or needs a "soul mate"? Puulease."

        I cannot imagine how many pre-nups Ms Hall was requested to read carefully and sign before her an Murdoch were even allowed in the same room, let alone get married!

        1. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

          Re: What? Shaddup! / pre-nups and related

          Not a pre-nup, but just in case you can use something like this, here is the NDA you need to sign before you can have sex with Charlie Sheen. Hilarious.

      4. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: What? Shaddup!

        Well he patently has no soul so I can only echo the 'doesn't want a soulmate guff'

  6. Doctor_Wibble
    Trollface

    Pee-ple (ho ho see what I did there)

    An apt name given the purpose is to piss on people from a great height. And not as a hobby either, that particular niche is likely a profitable one and already well served, possibly even flooded...

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Danny 14

      Re: Pee-ple (ho ho see what I did there)

      people pay good money for that sort of thing.

      1. Swarthy

        Re: Pee-ple (ho ho see what I did there)

        After all, who wouldn't want a shower made of gold?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Pee-ple (ho ho see what I did there)

          You, sir, are like a stream of bats piss.

          You shine out like a shaft of gold, when all around is dark.

          *monty python

  7. Mark 85

    A Dollar a Day for a "Truth License"

    I'm still not sure what that means but it smells like a bit of blackmail money. Pay the money and you can delete (maybe) or at least find out who's stalking/bad-mouthing/etc. you.

    The sad part is, there will be people paying those scum* just to see who is bad mouthing them or praising them.

    *I used to think pond scum was the lowest form of life... but this is lower.

    1. Voland's right hand Silver badge

      Re: A Dollar a Day for a "Truth License"

      I'm still not sure what that means but it smells like a bit of blackmail money.

      My exact thought. I smell an outstanding arrest order appearing for them shortly in USA and Europe. All it takes is a couple of libel or harassment lawsuits and a no-show both of which are bound to happen.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Maybe an opportunity for creative criticism...?

    The Register - 5 Stars

    The Register occupies a place in the rarified atmosphere between the mediocre mundanity of journalism and the self-serving mendacity of un-mediated psychopathy where ideas - and even unquestioned truths - float in an aether of unfettered creativity doped with the fumes of a censer in which the oil of palms greased burns eternal.

    An infinite number of monkeys, with an infinite number of typewriters, indulged by an infinite number of fawning spin-doctors and purveyors of revolutionary storage technologies, offering an infinite number of expensed lunches, would be hard pressed to assemble such a plausible aggregation of consecutive words - even with an infinite amount of time between Monday's 11am bleary-eyed walk of shame into the office and Friday's morning tea turned lunch turned afternoon tea turned screaming run from the law through the dawn-tinged streets of Dortmund.

    What The Register is is less important than what it is not - for what it is not is so many things that they would fill a pedia'd wiki. The terrible things that The Register has not done will redeem the rum-steeped miscreants who adorn its pages, grace its offices, and huddle flatulently in its darkened doorways. With pride, they will indicate towards the nations unburned, the civilisations un-o'erthrown, and the despotic regimes unpropped and say "There, my child, is what I leave you. A world unsullied by my terrible potential.. And an article about how 'Cloud' is unmitigated marketing shite".

    Truly the peoples of the glowing dawn of tomorrow will look back and thank The Register. Thank them as we should. Thank you, The Register, for being the kind of bollocks that doesn't plot to break me down into protein to feed the glowering elites. I shall always love you for that.

    1. notowenwilson

      Re: Maybe an opportunity for creative criticism...?

      What the hell did I just read?

    2. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

      Re: Maybe an opportunity for creative criticism...?

      Well put. But why Dortmund, of all places?

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Maybe an opportunity for creative criticism...?

      OK, what exactly do you need from The Register? Pushing some product, aren't we?

      :)

    4. Graham Marsden
      Trollface

      Re: Maybe an opportunity for creative criticism...?

      Ok, which El Reg Hack or Sub-Ed is posting as AC?

      1. Dan 55 Silver badge

        Re: Maybe an opportunity for creative criticism...?

        I'd like to think it was the Ghost of the Moderatrix.

        1. Triggerfish

          Re: Maybe an opportunity for creative criticism...?

          The Register. - It keeps the commentards away from other forums.

          Good description btw AC

          1. MrDamage Silver badge

            Re: Maybe an opportunity for creative criticism...?

            Slashdot is currently doing a spectacular job at keeping the once loyal commentards away from it.

  9. Mitoo Bobsworth

    Oh Dear, Oh dear, Oh Dear...

    This is simply ambition without brains ( & perhaps conscience). And this is the worst bit -

    "… it will soon introduce a "Truth Licence" which, for a buck a day, will let you see whatever people have written about you, regardless of whether you have disallowed it and even, it seems, if you have "deleted" it."

    So -

    a) EVERY comment is retained? And what happens when this site gets hacked? ( and it will be hacked )

    b) Truth Licence? Are you sure thats not "Pay to be humiliated" Licence? This is like an online version of Monty Python's "Argument" sketch.

    One look at the comments section on Youtube is bad enough these days. Everyone has a right to express themselves - I get that. However, it doesn't follow that everyone should. If these two apparently naive individuals go ahead with this in the current FUD filled atmosphere soaking the USA - well, good luck to them.

    1. To Mars in Man Bras!
      Headmaster

      Re: Oh Dear, Oh dear, Oh Dear...

      *"...This is like an online version of Monty Python's "Argument" sketch..."*

      Methinks you mean the Blackmail sketch. But, yeah. That does seem to have a strong "prior art" claim, here.

  10. David 132 Silver badge

    At least they're restricting it to residents of Canada

    A nation famed for being far too nice and unable to be mean about people, eh?

    1. Mitoo Bobsworth
      Joke

      Re: At least they're restricting it to residents of Canada

      Exactly - If you can't say something nice aboot someone, don't say anything aboot them at all.

    2. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
      Devil

      Re: At least they're restricting it to residents of Canada

      eh?

      Excuse me! Are you laughing aboot Canadian pronunciation?

      1. The Dude

        Re: At least they're restricting it to residents of Canada

        "aboot"?

        I've met a fair number of Canadians, and might even be one myself. Not one ever pronounced the word "aboot". Except maybe a Newfie or two, and they aren't really Canadian, are they?

  11. Palpy

    The real reason Peeple is back:

    Nicole McCullough and Julia Cordray have had only one idea. Ever. And this is it.

    1. Doctor Evil

      Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

      The first time McCullough and Cordray proposed this inanity, I concluded they were simply incredibly stupid.

      Now, however, I think they're just unmitigated assholes. Full stop.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

        The first time McCullough and Cordray proposed this inanity, I concluded they were simply incredibly stupid.

        Now, however, I think they're just unmitigated assholes. Full stop.

        I disagree. I think they just firmly confirmed a previously held assumption of stupidity. We need to expand the definition of insanity with "trying again and again in ways that only trivially differ".

        All it takes is one (1) review of someone who is reasonably flush in cash - you cannot disable laws with some statements in your Terms - and frankly, I cannot wait. The attempt to shift the blame on Facebook for not checking name authenticity is not going to work either - you can't abdicate responsibility.

        I hope they wait a moment before going live properly as I'll have to nip off to the shop to grab some new popcorn. If they don't it may be over before I get back...

        1. werdsmith Silver badge

          Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

          If the app bombs, but all of this publicity and fulmination about them nets them a stack of cash then they've been clever.

          But more likely serendipitous.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

          re. stupidity v. assholnesss, you might both be wrong. Or right at the same time. They might be stupid assholes, but it doesn't mean there are not enough (or even - plenty) of people to use this service (and pay for it). And as business cares not about right or wrong, only bottom line, they might, sadly, succeed in the end.

      2. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

        Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

        Don't be rude about her, or she'll stab you to death with her insanely pointy chin!

        1. Afernie

          Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

          "Don't be rude about her, or she'll stab you to death with her insanely pointy chin!"

          I take it you'll be recommending her chin for use as a sharp implement on her Peeple profile? Unlike her brain.

          1. Triggerfish

            Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

            That picture looks like it is of two wmen with the smile that says we are of the beautiful people and bitchiness about us, and bad things to us would never happen.

            Usually its the smile of someone who causes all those things to happen to others.

      3. Peter Simpson 1
        Thumb Up

        Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

        We've also learned that they:

        1. Don't take "no" for an answer

        2. Can't recognize a bad idea, even when it's pointed out to them

        // If at first you don't succeed, quit. No sense being a damn fool about it.

      4. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
        Childcatcher

        Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

        "Now, however, I think they're just unmitigated assholes. Full stop."

        I think this is what happens when the stereotype nasty untouchable "popular" girls at school grow uo get older

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

      You mean smiling nicely at someone with lots of money and hoping some of it comes your way? Effective and as old as time itself but not exactly original, is it?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

        You mean smiling nicely at someone with lots of money and hoping some of it comes your way?

        Isn't that the standard approach for VC funding? I get the impression that if you start to talk about something that actually makes sense they'll run a mile - apparently that's not how you get funding (judging by the rubbish that manages to get some idiot to invest).

        1. Naselus

          Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

          "I get the impression that if you start to talk about something that actually makes sense they'll run a mile - apparently that's not how you get funding"

          How would you know? No-one ever appears to have tried...

    3. Mitoo Bobsworth

      Re: The real reason Peeple is back:

      1) Money.

      2) Money.

      3) Money.

    4. Someone_Somewhere

      Re: Nicole McCullough and Julia Cordray have had only one idea

      and it wasn't even /their/ idea.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Target the VC's of Peeple

    Want to make a difference? How about reviewing the idiotic VC's that funded this ridiculous app. They are Venture / Science which is led by Matt Oguz and Selahattin Onen - see https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/palo-alto-venture-science#/entity

  13. Winkypop Silver badge
    Devil

    Like all social media before it

    I look forward to being completely ignored by this new one too.

  14. Stevie

    Bah!

    Oh my Gaaaaaahd, you people are like so negative. Well just don't act all surprised and like "no way" when y'all get told so in y' Peeple profile, losers.

  15. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

    Golden chance

    for a tech billionaire who wants to be seen as a philanthropist: buy this abomination and deep-six it.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Golden chance

      well, that could be a business plan too, you know! Make something hideous, create an uproar, hope for some rich schmuck to see this as an opportunity to show his gentler side by throwing some cash on it to make it dead. It's only business :(

      1. Stoneshop
        Holmes

        Re: Golden chance

        Lather, rinse, repeat.

        It's like blackmail: once they know you to give in (and that includes giving money to bury this "idea") you'll be targeted again.

    2. Mage Silver badge

      Re: Golden chance

      So Rupert Murdoch is a nice guy! He did that once.

  16. Sir Barry

    "no duty to take any action"

    So, they provide a channel/forum enables people to write abusive things about others, but then deny all responsibility?

    Well bugger me Joe and bugger them as well.

  17. MrT

    "That means that the answer lies in completely ignoring Peeple altogether."

    Done and done ... except ... gah! Please can we have permission to read the inevitable horror stories about this whole sorry business?

    "Ignore completely" - narcissistic sycophants (Peeple's core demographic, surely) don't know what that means...

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: "That means that the answer lies in completely ignoring Peeple altogether."

      El Reg have done a bad thing though:

      We downloaded and logged into the app and couldn't find a single other person either through our phone's contacts or Facebook friends. So long as it stays that way, then this monstrosity of an idea will stay where it ought to be: in a grave.

      So now Peeple have got an entire addressbook of El Reg's contacts to furtle.

      Hence providing a vector for this internet zombie plague to spread.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    This is worse than the the IPB, my secret love of cats and knitting is going to be out there sooner than I thought.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Cunts

    That is all

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Cunts

      Bit harsh, cunts are, in general , useful.

      This pair, not so much....

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Cunts

        If they are going to be libellous cunts then they can be Carter-Fucked* for a lot of money.

        *Peter Carter-Ruck was an infamous libel lawyer in the UK and being sued by him was known as being Carter-Fucked. Although now deceased his legal firm is still in practice.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter-Ruck

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Cunts

          "Although now deceased his legal firm is still in practice."

          I think Terry Pratchett's zombie lawyer preceded Carter-Ruck's somewhat unlamented demise, and you can't libel the dead. Which must be a relief to the Pratchett estate.

  20. JimmyPage Silver badge
    FAIL

    Once again, I read "peeple"

    but think "menshn"

    1. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

      Re: Once again, I read "peeple"

      Never heard of 'Menshn' before - but yes, possible scenario: founders turn on each other, Peeple tanks. Well, hope springs eternal, etc etc.

  21. chivo243 Silver badge
    Meh

    This has gotta be

    A big fat TAX Dodge for some ijit. As for the social implications, this can not end well. A few suicides over bad ratings and this app/service will die on the vine

  22. Dan 55 Silver badge

    Even if she does prevent it from being published, the moment Peeple launches its "truth licence," others will be able to read our thoughts on her personally.

    What are the odds on her not having a proper delete button and/or a little person to take care of her profile? Very long I imagine.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I am not sure if they have an idea at all but they seem to have convinced themselves that they have. One day all communication will be phatic. It may be already too late.

    1. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

      Re: phatic

      I had to look that up... good point. Also 'word of the day' for me now.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Truth Licence"

    people who go in life by what others think and write about them, fully deserve to find out and pay dearly for it. Fitting development for the "I-age"

    p.s. anonymous, naturally ;)

  25. Paul Shirley

    even linkedin rejected them

    Yes, the home of panhandlers, opportunists, cruising sharks and the implausibly (and unbelievably) "positive" rejected these slandermongers decisively when they tried to defend the stupidity last year.

    There's no plausible deniability about how this will work left, they couldn't convince one of the most business & business scam friendly places on the net. They know it's wrong and knowingly carry on. So wrong it's likely they'll never get sued because no one will use it to enable a suit.

  26. Sammy Smalls

    Please remove this from appearing as a splash.

    It's like their vile faces are trying to crush your soul with inane faux happiness from across the interweb. In the race to the bottom, surely these two amoeba are in the lead.

  27. Mage Silver badge

    maybe ...

    They looked at LinkedIn and Facebook etc and concluded most people are ... unwise. Perhaps they don't care about the misery it causes and think that unlike Twitter, it will make money. Or perhaps be bought by a foolish Megacorp. (Time, Microsoft, HP etc.)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: maybe ..."Perhaps they don't care about the misery it causes "

      That is surely the whole point about "disruptive technology" - we profit, someone else has to deal with the social fallout.

      I hope the NHS sends these trainee psychopaths the bill for any mental health treatment needed as a result of stalking by their [ab]users. Before all their assets are forfeited to the libel lawyers.

  28. jason 7

    Sorry...

    ...but I'm giving this just one Meow meow beenz!

  29. IsJustabloke
    Facepalm

    oh Dear...

    10 of 10 for their belief in the overall goodness of "people" because that can be the only thing that allows them to believe this is a good idea.

    As an aside, am I the only one who thinks the smiling girl looks like the Joker?

  30. srgvd

    Luluvise/OnLulu was slandering men for half a decade, and (almost) nobody bated an eyelid. But now it 'peeeple', not just 'men', so this is not ok.

  31. Cari

    Awful, awful idea.

    I'm not too taken with the "mean words on the Internet is, like, the worst!" thing that others from my generation seem to run with, but just thinking about my perp (ex-partner, abused me) using something like this to get at me - even though I know he wouldn't - sets me off into a panic.

    I can only imagine how worried and concerned other victims and survivors of abuse may feel, if their perps are more likely to use this service.

  32. pewpie

    When does determination become stupidity?

    There are quite a few SJW types in tech destined to find out quickly, in exacting detail.

  33. FuzzyWuzzys
    Unhappy

    Any ever seen the film "Drop Dead Gorgeous"?

    This the app of the film, ie two silly girls ( women are mostly mature and sensible, so that counts these two out ) playing at high school games of "Your my best fwend and the ginger/spotty/nerdy ones are gross and are not my fwends!" with each other and doing it by way of someone else's pile of cash.

    Quite revolting to observe how nasty human beings can be to each other and now it's not even to each others faces but rather just another electronic medium to ensure we continue to f**k each other for "cash and prizes".

    Twitter/Instagram/Facebook are already seen as games....."Rise from a nobody no one knows to being the most popular person on the planet with millions of 'friends'. Download the mobile app and play today! You can buy advertising with real money and get more 'friends'! Bitch about people, get copious amounts of attention for yourself and win big!". Peeple is just another game to be played, sadly the consequences to the game's "losers" are very real.

  34. not.known@this.address
    Facepalm

    Confused...

    If the 'Truth Tax' (or whatever they call it) is to let YOU see what other people have written about YOU, how does that let everybody read anything posted about you by anybody else? Always assuming they actualy manage to get it sorted enough to be able to restrict access that way.

    It didn't say you pay a dollar a day to see what's been written about other people, did it?

  35. Someone_Somewhere

    It will last

    as long as it takes for

    a) someone wealthy enough to name them as correspondents f(or aiding and abetting) in a libel case.

    b) someone underworld enough to make an example of them to discourage others from following suit.

    c) someone to doxx them and an angry mob to turn up with pitchforks and fire.

    If wishes came true, my money would be on 'a' followed by a narrow escape from 'c' whilst on the run from 'b' - I can't see a witness relocation programme being of much use*

    * too many people will be only too willing to grass them up.

  36. Androgynous Cupboard Silver badge

    UK libel law

    Many years back I ran a website that libelled a very large number of organisations (a recruitment consultant review site). Fun as it was, it got a bit hot and I let it lapse, but the legal advice I got at the time was that in order for it to be libel it has to be

    1. untrue

    2. published and communicated to a third party (i.e. someone other than you)

    3. Must be defamatory - that is they must refer to them directly, and cause damage to their reputation amongst their peers.

    In your defence you can argue one of those points, or you can argue it was "fair comment" (as in it''s an oipinion based on true facts made in good faith and without malice, and is in the public interest).

    In the UK at least, the law that covers this is the Defamation Act 1996, and a notable judgement was Godfrey v Demon, which found Demon liable for a libellous comment from a third party. The key points were a) if notified of a libellous comment you must remove it, and, as I recall, b) if repeated libel is occurring and you are notified about it, you should take some steps to prevent this happening.

    I'm not a lawyer but that was the advice I got from someone who was. I would expect Peeple (missing an "i" there) to be on the sharp end of most of these points fairly shortly.

    Given the three pillars of the internet are spam, pornography and abuse, it was only a matter of time before someone tried to commoditise the last one.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: UK libel law

      As I recall in English law truth is not a defence to libel. This can actually be a good thing, e.g. the Mosley case. Wherever someone does something that is legal and harms nobody else who is not consenting, but which would cause the tabloids to froth in an attempt to wreck their lives for fun and profit1, libel lawyers will consider the size of that person's bank account and take libel into account accordingly.

      Which means that this site will consist of people trying to wreck the lives of ordinary people rather than the rich and famous. Perhaps that's part of the business plan.

      However - will the Information Commissioner consider $1 a day a reasonable amount to receive information being held about you in this database? Perhaps these people don't realise that the EU is not (yet) covered by US law.

      1 which is basically the tabloid business model, except as regards their own staff, employers and shareholders.

      1. Ben Liddicott

        Re: UK libel law

        No, the Mosley case was breach of confidence not libel.

  37. Stoneshop
    Devil

    As Canada is said to be polite and friendly

    (borrowing from a friend) It would be far from me to wish these ladies to drop dead. Rather, I'd wish them to fall protractedly, debilitating painfully and incurably ill.

    If that's too much to ask, then please fornicate off and decease.

  38. Anonymous Coward
    Coffee/keyboard

    More Options

    Instead of joining the site to block what's being said about you, may I suggest...

    1. Join the inevitable class-action lawsuit instead.

    2. Chaffing: submit increasingly wild variations of whatever people are saying about you, to undermine their credibility.

    3. Do nothing, if the slander against you is just string of incoherent schizoid rants. (What I'm expecting.. lol)

  39. greenbeans1244

    A REAL Self Awareness App

    A feedback management app that ACTUALLY creates a safe environment where privacy is fully in the users' control. www.candidconnection.com

  40. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Creepy Smile ... perfect for Aphex Twin Video

    They've had that creepy smile ever since they've got the $$$ from the VC. I recall a few months ago the intention of the App was about "positive vibes" etc... and now they charge $1 so you can find out whose been talking sh!t behind your back ??

    The VC won't see any return on investment here.

    Also I'm not sure about the name "Peeple" ...

    Is it a play on "peeping" on people - rather peeple = sheeple ?

    There should be an expiration date on peeple wearing nose rings once they reach a certain age... but I'm sure "she was like, I don't give damn aboot what peeple think aboot me". She's can pay a $1 to find out...

  41. Mitoo Bobsworth
    Joke

    If this thing takes off ...

    ... a simple request to anyone with the requisite knowledge & inclination - could you please change the name to 'Pimple' - as we all know, a small but inflammatory & sometimes painful infection that intrudes on the face of humanity.

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