Thursday Buzz: How You Could Be Rated on an App

Imagine a rating and review service like Yelp, but for individuals. Anyone you know, including yourself, could be rated by the app. That service you’re imagining is Peeple  (opens in a new tab).

“Peeple is an app that allows you to rate and comment about the people you interact with in your daily lives on the following three categories: personal, professional, and dating,” the company’s website says  (opens in a new tab). “Peeple will enhance your online reputation for access to better-quality networks, top job opportunities, and promote more informed decision-making about people.”

The app, set to launch in November, is already raising eyebrows. Washington Post reporter Caitlin Dewey, who specializes in internet issues, outlines some concerns about the app  (opens in a new tab).

“There’s no way such a rating could ever accurately reflect the person in question: Even putting issues of personality and subjectivity aside, all rating apps, from Yelp to Rate My Professor, have a demonstrated problem with self-selection,” she writes.

But for anyone concerned about his or her online presence, even the possibility of another way to be rated and ranked, particularly in a professional context, could be disconcerting.

While there is no way to opt out  (opens in a new tab), negative reviews will only show up if an individual has an account, which enables the person to challenge those ratings. The app cofounders also say they have instituted measures to prevent bullying.

Whether Peeple will make a big splash remains to be seen, but the app has already been valued  (opens in a new tab) at $7.6 million.

Hashtag of the Day

https://twitter.com/WebLink/status/649249368785072130

The 2015 WebLink Summit  (opens in a new tab) starts today, and association pros from across the country are tackling topics like membership retention, recruitment, social media, and more. To follow along with the conference’s conversations, keep tabs on the #wlsummit  (opens in a new tab) hashtag.

Other Good Reads

“Don’t fear rejection: It’s just one person’s opinion.” We’ve all faced rejection, but Melanie Pinola at Lifehacker has some tips  (opens in a new tab) on how to get past the sting.

Time is still money. Derek Walter looks at efficiency and productivity  (opens in a new tab) in the workspace in this post for CMSWire: “The solution to improving efficiency is out there for your company. You just have to dig in to find it.”

Some winners win all the time. Inc. contributor Minda Zetlin looks at seven habits  (opens in a new tab) these people have—and how others can emulate them.

(Peeple/Facebook)