'Ugly Meter' iPhone App Raises Cyberbullying Concerns

by Amar Toor on October 20, 2010 at 09:40 AM

The 'Ugly Meter' is supposed to offer iPhone users a new way to joke around with their friends, but many are worried that the new app could provide today's cyberbullies with yet another way to harass their victims.

The app, which is available for $0.99 on the iTunes Store, uses facial recognition technology to analyze a person's anatomical symmetry. Once a user submits a photo of someone's face, the app will automatically rate his or her ugliness on a scale of 1 to 10 (a ranking of 1, in this case, means you're "not ugly"). Once the app determines a ranking, it'll also generate a one-liner about your appearance. People who score a 10, for example, will receive a message that reads, "You're so ugly, when you walk by the bathroom, the toilet flushes."

Ugly Meter iPhone App

The app's creators insist that the 'Ugly Meter' is intended only to entertain, but some are worried that cyberbullies could use it as a weapon to terrorize their prey. "There's a fine line between teasing and razzing one another," Dr. Gwenn O'Keeffe, author of the book 'Cybersafe: Protecting and Empowering Kids in the Digital World of Texting, Gaming and Social Media,' told FOX News. "And this is just hurtful. It could have crushing blows on kids with low self-esteem. There's just nothing good that could come from an app like this. There are other ways to have fun in life."

O'Keeffe recommends that Apple either remove the app from the iTunes Store altogether, or at least make it unavailable to minors. Thus far, Apple hasn't commented on the app, but app programmer Eugene Overline seems confident that the 'Ugly Meter' will remain on the market. "All of our insults are PG-rated," Overline argues. "We kept it pretty clean on purpose."

We understand how the 'Ugly Meter' could be used in aggressive or mean-spirited ways. The app's crass humor certainly seems geared toward adolescent sensibilities, and image-conscious teenagers could easily take its results too seriously. But we're not sure that it necessarily warrants an outright ban from the iTunes Store. If the app was explicitly promoted as a tool to help terrorize your friends, that would be a different story. As it is, though, the 'Ugly Meter' seems like it was designed for harmless fun, and we think it'd be difficult to punish its creators for the actions of immature users.

Tags: Apple, apps, CyberBullying, ios, iphone, itunes store, ItunesStore, photos, teenagers, top, ugly meter, UglyMeter

Comments

LouOct 20th 2010 11:37AM

Neutral

There's one problem with your "harmless fun" thoughts on this app: research has actually shown that symmetry *is* important in conventional perceptions of beauty. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facial_symmetry

If this were a gag app, like a mood ring, that was completely unscientific, then sure it's just stupid.

But it's actually detecting that someone has an asymmetrical face. So you're reinforcing that someone is ugly, scientifically.

Sorry, but I find that revolting.

Dislike

AOL sucks assOct 20th 2010 12:10PM

Really??? Have we become that afraid of ourselves?

The songs I used to sing in grade school would now get me suspended for make "terror threats"...and I turned out just fine.

Parents should be more concerned about using the smart phone as a baby sitting tool.

This is a silly app ... nothing more.... I think there are some shadows in the corner if someone is looking for something to be afraid of...nothing to see here....move along.

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'Ugly Meter' iPhone App Raises Cyberbullying Concerns