A controversial new app will soon launch that allows anyone to rate other people in the same way they would a movie, restaurant or hotel. Basically a Yelp for people, Peeple will let users rate a person on a one-to-five scale and assign them a review, as long as the reviewer has his or her cell phone number.
When someone reviews you on Peeple, you'll get a text notification to inform you that you've been added to the database (assuming you're not already a member). There's no option to remove your profile once someone adds you. Reviewers must be over 21, have an established Facebook account and make reviews under their real name. They must also affirm that they know the person they are reviewing in a personal, professional or romantic way.
"People do so much research when they buy a car or make those kinds of decisions," said Julia Cordray, co-founder of Peeple, in an interview with the Washington Post. "Why not do the same kind of research on other aspects of your life?"
Cordray says the app is not about negativity, rather it is meant to spread love and positivity. She pointed out that those who are not registered on Peeple will only have positive reviews about them made public. Anyone who is a registered Peeple user and receives any negative reviews will have 48 hours to dispute them before they're made available for all to see. There will supposedly be several no-go areas when it comes to reviewing people, including sexism, profanity and discussing health conditions.
Despite Cordray's claim that Peeple will be a good thing, it has, unsurprisingly, come in for a barrage of criticism. Many detractors have pointed out that even if you disregard the fact that the app reduces people to a 1-to-5 rating, there are also the issues of bias, subjectivity and consent.
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