Failin.gs: Find out what they really think
As a confident, soon-to-be-25-year-old, I’ve pretty much gotten over if someone doesn’t like me. There are much better things to spend my energy on, and well, I haven’t been in high school for a long time. But you might care, and there’s a new way for you to find out just what people think.
Introducing failin.gs: a new online community where everyone you know – from your mother to your boss to that girl that would never go on a date with you in college – can post what they think of you…anonymously. In the era of online communities and social networking, there’s no longer a reason to write it on the bathroom wall. Just post it on their failin.gs page for the world to agree or disagree with.
While I don’t really like anonymity in online review sites and forums, it is really the only way that failin.gs could be successful. A close friend isn’t going to be honest and tell you that they think your breath smells like the bottom of a foot or you should hit the gym a few more hours a week if they have to have their name attached to it. But the anonymity of it all, especially for the younger generation of internet users, can be kind of concerning. Online bullying anyone (maybe there should be an age limit)? Or how about the paranoia associated with knowing that it could have been one of my close friends that said I have an ego the size of Texas?
I’m also curious as to the types of sponsorships and advertising that will end up on the site if it proves to be successful in attracting new users. A perfect place for a therapist to advertise? Maybe a personal trainer or an acne medication line of products? Some could call that immoral and wrong – hitting people while they’re down. My media background might be inclined to call it really effective targeting. If the site takes off, I would expect to see both sides of the argument.
After discovering failin.gs this morning, my curiosity was piqued. Should I be the guinea pig of my own social experiment to find out just what people think about me? Wait? I thought I didn’t care? But wouldn’t it be interesting to find out? I guess I’ll think about it. In the meantime, keep an eye out to see if your friends start posting links to their Facebook profiles and Twitter feeds. Then let ‘em have it (as constructively and nicely as possible, of course).
