'Yelp for People' App Launches, Here's What You Should Know

[Schadrach]

Please, for the love of god, please edit the article and add the fact that the app is opt-in only - you can only get reviewed if you sign up for it first.

So, that's how it differs from Lulu (which got mixed press, and I think eventually became opt-in though it originally wasn't) and he thing similar to Lulu but for men to rate women (which got wholly negative press and harassed out of existence because misogyny)?

 

[MHR]

Well I for one find it quite amusing. Shitheads and sociopaths get away in life with people not liking them constantly, and then get to surprise the people that don't know them every time, without even any help from the people wronged or angered by them before. Peeple would be the first thing besides self-destructive facebook pages that brings personal history into a modern system. History is meant to be learned from.

Sure, it can be abused to all hell. Decent people with even a hint of popularity will quickly draw spiteful reviews by the jealous or trollish. And I think it's worth it.

However, if it's opt-in it will be all but useless. Horrible people would just steer clear because there's nothing to be gained in the same way that walking into an electric fence leaves nothing to be gained. If they do it to pretend they're great, then someone posts too much negative shit, they just delete the profile, or abuse a remade profile. With endless libel suites, and no real upsides, this shit is probably dead-on-arrival.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Guess I get to ignore this one since my "smart" phone is so old that it straight up can't run simple apps. I can't wait to get to the point where I can check this out though because I am INCREDIBLY vain and can't wait to see what, if any, horrible things have been said about me. Of course if it's opt-in than I guess I'll never see myself on it since again...my "phone" only really plays music and sends text messages.

 

[Floppertje]

So is there any form of quality control or fact-checking going on here? If I have a fight with my girlfriend and we break up, is there anything to stop her saying that I raped her or that I have a whole bunch of bad habits when that is just absolutely not true? I can hide them, but those people with a paid membership will still be able to see that, won't they?

 

[Souplex]

Wasn't there a Community episode about this before it existed?
I remember it being pretty good.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

This was stupid idea when it was announced, and it's still a stupid idea.

Who would have guessed?

It can still be abused, and no amount of safe guarding will stop that. I really hope this doesn't go far because I really don't see this ending well for anyone despite it being opt-in only.

 

[Neverhoodian]

*snip*

Please, for the love of god, please edit the article and add the fact that the app is opt-in only - you can only get reviewed if you sign up for it first. This thread is going to go downhill fast, and this is the important bit of information that shouldn't be left out.

Don't get me wrong, I still think the app is a terrible idea. But random people won't get massively slandered without their knowledge on the app...

...Okay, that makes me feel a lot better. If it's opt-in only then people have no one to blame but themselves if (more likely when) they get screwed over.

 

[Flathole]

Seems like a redundant app while Facebook still exists.

Spoiler

 

[Pyrian]

If it's opt-in only then people have no one to blame but themselves if (more likely when) they get screwed over.

Mmmm. But what if someone opts "you" in without your knowledge or consent?

 

[visiblenoise]

I wonder how drunk they were when they first came up with this idea

 

[Neverhoodian]

If it's opt-in only then people have no one to blame but themselves if (more likely when) they get screwed over.

Mmmm. But what if someone opts "you" in without your knowledge or consent?

Yeah, the thought occurred to me shortly afterwards. Still think it's a horrible idea regardless.

 

[TelosSupreme]

You're kidding. They really went through with this? I remember hearing about this back when Jim brought it up and all of the shady baggage it was carrying:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVGk2Od6eQY

No way this could go wrong in a million years! I mean, it's not like this is basically the perfect platform for libel and invasion of privacy! Good heavens...

We brought this on ourselves. We're just giving our freedoms away in spades. What on Earth is wrong with this brain-dead species?!

 

[Baresark]

I honestly don't see how this works because someone could claim to be me, be a complete piece of crap to everyone, then when they get rated I am getting rated. How are they verifying the person the rating is claiming to rate is that person?

If it's opt-in only then people have no one to blame but themselves if (more likely when) they get screwed over.

Mmmm. But what if someone opts "you" in without your knowledge or consent?

Can they do that?

 

[9tailedflame]

Oh wow, this is such an abusable clusterfuck. I REALLY hope this flops, because otherwise we're going to have people mob-style make fake professional reviews and charge people to change them, and if they don't no employer will hire them, we'll have bitter and/or crazy exes reviewing their exes and saying pure bullshit, we'll have people making fake accounts of people, businesses will give their own employees bad reviews to prevent poaching, the company itself will start making problems and selling you the answers.

This is a terrible idea.

 

[FPLOON]

Ha! Jokes on you! I don't even HAVE a smart phone!! I mean, sure it's the only way to get that "Community Ambassador" badge on Steam, but sacrifices have to made in this situation...

Other than that, and I can't believe I'm saying this, I kinda wish this app was like if Yelp was drunk on [human] Snapchat...

 

[Starke]

Ha! Jokes on you! I don't even HAVE a smart phone!! I mean, sure it's the only way to get that "Community Ambassador" badge on Steam, but sacrifices have to made in this situation...

Other than that, and I can't believe I'm saying this, I kinda wish this app was like if Yelp was drunk on [human] Snapchat...

No, actually, sadly, the joke really is on you. All someone needs to opt you in is a phone number. Not even your number, and without a smartphone you can't even dispute the stuff they choose to publish about you.

 

[FPLOON]

Ha! Jokes on you! I don't even HAVE a smart phone!! I mean, sure it's the only way to get that "Community Ambassador" badge on Steam, but sacrifices have to made in this situation...

Other than that, and I can't believe I'm saying this, I kinda wish this app was like if Yelp was drunk on [human] Snapchat...

No, actually, sadly, the joke really is on you. All someone needs to opt you in is a phone number. Not even your number, and without a smartphone you can't even dispute the stuff they choose to publish about you.

*deeply sighs*

Well, that's it... Fuck it! I'm finally changing my identity phone number! Sorry, very important people in my life and Barbrah, it's looks like I can't trust anyone anymore... Time to finally close up shop...
http://new4.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Goodbye+everyone+i+ll+remember+you+all+in+therapy+_1bccab801baee31bc62495c239456280.gif

I never needed to ninja myself more than this situation right now...

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Hah, I remember being the one that brought it to attention here too. I thought it faded into obscurity. But here it is! What joy! I was aware of the original changes they made, but this paid subscription thing is new... And exactly what made them change things in the first place. They just had to find some way to make it insane once again

 

[Lightspeaker]

I'm no legal expert but I have a hunch this would be illegal in the UK under the Data Protection Act, which requires a person's permission for a company to hold identifiable personal data about them. At the very least, you should in theory be able to request any data held about you on this site is deleted. That's not even going into libel..

Kinda feel the article here is missing some very crucial points that I seem to have come across by doing some quick searching:

1. The original design of this app was that anybody signed up for it could freely create profiles for other people and leave 'reviews' of that person. Even if said person didn't sign up for the service. There was a huge backlash over this when it was unveiled last year and they've removed this dubious 'feature'. Apparently you can't just sign up ANYONE now without their consent.

2. You can now deactivate an account. Which apparently wasn't possible in the first planned iteration either. Although allegedly the data is still 'there'.

3. You had no control over reviews of yourself. After a time limit negative reviews were automatically unmasked. Now this is no longer the case unless you pay for their premium service thing.

4. However because of 1, 2 and 3 the app is now largely pointless. Because its now incredibly limited in scope.


That being said in its first iteration this thing was a truly terrifying breach of personal privacy.


Sources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-34415382
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35725862

 

[RJ 17]

We brought this on ourselves. We're just giving our freedoms away in spades. What on Earth is wrong with this brain-dead species?!

Ever see the movie Idiocracy? It's at the same time one of the funniest movies I've ever seen and one of the most terrifying movies I've ever seen.

"Why is it terrifying?" you may ask...because at this rate it seems that our society is trying it's god damn best to take it from a work of fiction and turn it into a historical documentary.