Netropolitan Club
Netropolitan Club was a social network created by composer and performer James Touchi-Peters, which launched September 15, 2014, and shutdown in November of 2014. It was designed for use exclusively by wealthy people.[1] The website has a sign-up fee of U$9.000,00 and an annual fee of U$3.000,00 for renewing one's membership.[2]
Shutdown after two months
[edit]After only approximately two months the site was deemed a failure.[3]
Distinguishing features
[edit]Touchi-Peters founded Netropolitan Club so that wealthy people could have a place to network with other wealthy people, and share their activities as well as discuss their first world problems without alienating poorer people or engendering a backlash.[2] With this goal in mind, the Netropolitan Club had the following distinguishing features:[4]
- High membership fees (U$9.000,00 to join, U$3.000,00 to renew annually), that served to automatically filter out people who are not wealthy.
- Members were required to be over 21 and to use their real names.
- There was no third-party advertising. Members were to be able to post in an upcoming Classified Ads system, but were not allowed to solicit from other members in private messages.
- The entire club was inaccessible to the public Internet. Efforts were made to enhance privacy and security, and names of members were not revealed to the outside world.
- Activity was monitored to protect members from abuse or unpleasant situations, and there were Member Services Associates available online to help members at any time.
Media coverage
[edit]Netropolitan Club has been covered in International Business Times,[1] the Los Angeles Times,[2] the Express Tribune,[5] NPR,[6] Inc.,[7] and the Huffington Post.[8] A CNN commented that it sounded like "an elaborate ruse in an age when Facebook, Twitter and a host of other social networks are free".[9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Herman, Barbara (September 15, 2014). "Netropolitan: Social Networking For Rich People". International Business Times. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
- ^ a b c Mitchell, Russ (September 15, 2014). "Netropolitan.club: A Facebook for rich people". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
- ^ USA Today: 2014: Year of the Uber-ing of everything
- ^ "About The Netropolitan Club". Netropolitan Club. Archived from the original on September 27, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
- ^ "Netropolitan: Social network for the rich costs $9000 to join". Express Tribune. September 22, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
- ^ "Netropolitan: Facebook For Rich People". NPR. September 17, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
- ^ Montini, Laura (September 18, 2014). "$9000 Will Get You a Membership to This New Social Network. Netropolitan aims to be the go-to forum where wealthy people can have discussions--without being harassed by less well-heeled folk". Inc. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
- ^ Rundle, Michael (September 18, 2014). "Netropolitan, AKA 'Facebook For Rich People', Costs £5,500 To Join". Huffington Post (UK). Retrieved September 27, 2014.
- ^ "Facebook -- for rich people (for just $9,000)", CNN, 16 Sept 2014. Accessed 27 Oct 2014