Peeple shuts down social media accounts after internet outrage over human-rating app

It seems the people don't like Peeple.

The Calgary woman behind the controversial human-rating app has taken down the PeepleFacebook and Twitteraccountsfor now.

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CBC News tried contacting Peeple founder and CEOJulia Cordray several times, but she has notresponded.

The app, which allows users to rate people as they would rate a restaurant, was scheduled for a November release. But it appears Cordray will be launching it on Oct. 12.

Thelaunch date is the only piece of information left on the Peeple website as of Tuesday. It's been scrubbed clean of all content and wastemporarily shut down from Sunday night until Tuesday morning.

In anOct. 4 post on LinkedIn, Cordray said she had received "death threats and extremely insulting comments aimed at me, my investors, and my family on almost every social media tool possible" since she started getting pressabout Peeple.

"I went from a relatively unknown 34-year-old entrepreneur from Canada to unintentionally becoming a trending topic on Facebook and Twitter in less than 24 hours. I wish I could say it was for something positive, but it wasn't."

Despite growing backlash, Cordray still planstolaunch Peeple.

Just differently.

Her LinkedIn post says the app is being redeveloped with an opt-in system which was not the case initially.

"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," Cordray wrote.

"I want the world to be positive and this is how I'm going to inspire it by creating the world's largest positivity app."

In the meantime, the world has Sheeplea parody website that imagines how the Peeple app would look had it been invented for sheep.

According to the site, "Sheeple lets you find other sheep and rate their worth, the quality of their wooland the cleanliness of their hooves, as well as other sheeply qualities."

And like Peeple, Sheeple promises not to be a breeding ground for hateful comments or bullying.

"Rather than leaving negative reviews of other sheep, we encourage positivity, but have no real way to ensure this."

• Listen to the Calgary Eyeopener's comedic take on the Sheeple website

Calgary Eyeopener0:01Sheeple comedy

The Calgary Eyeopener crafted an audio version of the parody website "For the Sheeple" which imagines how the app "Peeple" would look if it were invented for sheep.