So, I fisked the CEO's statement from the Peeple website. For those who aren't reading my Facebook page or Livejournal:
An Ode to Courage: Innovators are often put down because people are scared and they don't understand.
Or, because they're seeing an app with terrible possibilities for abuse.
We are bold innovators and sending big waves into motion and we will not apologize for that because we love you enough to give you this gift.
Congratulations - I don't know if you're trying to channel a serial killer talking to their victim or an evil/stupid CEO from a Jurassic Park movie...either way, you're succeeding with flying colours. But here's the thing - you're not an innovator. You're not Tesla inventing a new kind of electrical current. You're taking something people are already doing with businesses and applying it to other people. And, this isn't a gift - you're monetizing this.
We know you are amazing, special, and unique individuals and most likely would never shout that from the rooftops.
There?s a reason for that, which I'll explain below.
The people who know you will though...they choose to be around you and in your life and support you even when you don't like yourself.
Yeah, see, here's the thing. I may be a very minor public figure, but as an author and a writer I am a public figure. And I don't want anybody talking about who I am, or my family - I want them reading, enjoying, and talking about my work. If I acquire some measure of fame because of what I write, so be it...at least I'll have come by it honestly. Fame for the sake of being famous is hollow, empty, and useless. And, for that matter, my sense of value and self-worth does not require anybody to be singing my praises in public. In fact, I don't know of anybody who is psychologically sound who has a self-worth that depends on public praise.
We have come so far as a society but in a digital world we are becoming so disconnected and lonely.
I think it would only take five minutes reading Twitter or Facebook to disagree. Twitter is more likely to melt your face off from the trolling, though.
You deserve better and to have more abundance, joy, and real authentic connections.
Last I checked, one did this by getting off the Internet and connecting properly with the real world, doing real things with real people...also known as getting technology out of the way. You're talking about putting more technology in the way.
You deserve to make better decisions with more information to protect your children and your biggest assets.
Yes, well, we have this thing called "the news." And in the digital age, we have access to more information than we have ever had in all of human history. Call it a hunch, but I think we're good.
You have worked so hard to get the reputation you have among the people that know you.
Through my deeds. And one of the reasons I have the reputation I have among my friends and colleagues is that I don't go in for meaningless praise or self-aggrandisement. Funnily enough, not being a narcissist helps lead to a great circle of friends and colleagues.
As innovators we want to make your life better and have the opportunity to prove how great it feels to be loved by so many in a public space.
Again, I'm not a narcissist, so I really don't feel the need for this. Also, considering that from what I've seen of your current system, anybody can get abuse on somebody's profile by giving the post a five-star rating. So, we get to look forward to variations on "Steve is a great guy, and here's a list of all the farm animals he's sodomized this week!"
We are a positivity app launching in November 2015.
Angels and ministers of grace defend us. And, no, you're not - you're a social network based on gossiping behind people's backs.
Whether you love us or our concept or not; we still welcome everyone to explore this online village of love and abundance for all.
There's an important distinction I don?t think you understand: social networks like Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn are all about enabling users to share themselves with the world. Peeple is all about enabling users to share other people with the world, and your original setup was to let them do it without those people?s consent.
Consider this: the worst cases of online abuse and harassment have involved the harassers trying to push their victims into committing suicide...and one of the ways they do this is to destroy their target's self-esteem through negative judgements. Your "online village of love and abundance for all" directly facilitates this. How much blood are you ready to have on your hands? And, for that matter, how ready are you for the wrongful death lawsuits that will come your way once somebody succeeds?
Food for thought, Ms. CEO...food for thought.
