Peeple, the app that lets you rate people

WE all know the saying – “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Well, stuff that, says a controversial new app. Peeple allows you to review anyone you know and give them a rating out of five. Here’s what we know about the strangest – and possibly meanest – new app around

WHAT IS IT?

Peeple encourages users to review friends, co-workers and exes so everyone knows exactly how you feel about them. The app’s blurb reads: “The Peeple app allows us to better choose who we hire, do business with, date, become our neighbours, roommates, landlords/tenants, and teach our children.”

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Peeple has proved so controversial that a petition for its removal from app stores has already been raised before its launch

To use the app you must be 21-years-old and have a Facebook account. Any review you write will come under your real name and can be categorised into either personal, professional or romantic.

Positive reviews are instantly added but any review less than two stars goes straight to the subject’s private mailbox to allow you 48 hours to work it out with the reviewer. “If you cannot turn a negative into a positive the comment will go live and then you can publicly defend yourself,” to app states.

People can review you even if you don’t have the app. Meaning, if someone posts a negative or damaging review of you, simply deleting the app will not make it go away. Reviews will expire after a year to reflect our ability to grow and change.

You can review anyone whose mobile number you have but you aren’t allowed to review anyone you don’t know. If a person wishes to write a review about someone who is not in the database, all they have to do is submit their mobile number. If the person doesn’t verify a profile that has been set up in their name, negative reviews won’t appear on their page, according to Peeple’s current rules.

WHEN CAN I GET IT?

The app was originally set to be released in November. While the news of the app has engulfed the internet, a massive online backlash has knocked its website and social media accounts offline. A change.org petition to get the Apple store and marketplace to block the app has also been set up. The website, however, still remains active and appears to have pushed the launch date up to October 12.

Following the Peeple social media blackout, the app’s developer Julia Cordray posted on LinkedIn explaining a few changes: “Peeple is focused on the positive and ONLY THE POSITIVE as a 100 per cent OPT-IN system. You will NOT be on our platform without your explicit permission. There is no 48-hour waiting period to remove negative comments. There is no way to even make negative comments. Simply stated, if you don’t explicitly say “approve recommendation”, it will not be visible on our platform.”

You can join the Peeple waiting listhere, if you dare.

• Jane Bradley: Peeple app makes anyone a Mean Girl