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Ugly Meter App
The App has been out for some time now, but was recently updated to version 1.2. The seller is Eugene Overline, and it has been rated appropriate for kids 9 years of age and older.
The way the Ugly Meter App works, is that it allows users to upload photographs of anyone’s face. It then scans the face checking for symmetrical bone structure and other things, then provides a score between 1 and 10. A 10 is the ugliest, while a 1 is the least ugly (or best looking).
Does the app really work? Well, we tried it with several “good looking” celebrities. When we used a photograph of Brad Pitt, the Ugly Meter said, “You Scored 9.8 / 10 on the Ugly Meter. You’re so ugly, you could make a glass eye cry.”
When we put in a photo of former President George Bush, we got the following result:
“You Scored a 2.0 / 10 On The Ugly Meter. You’re so hot that you make the sun jealous.”
So as you can tell, it probably isn’t the most accurate assessment of a person’s looks, although it can still be entertaining to use.
Representatives from organizations against bullying have problems with the app. They feel as though it is just another weapon for kids at school to use to tease and torment their classmates.
CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute, Stephen Balkam, had the following to say:
“I can see that the guys who programmed it were having a bit of fun and all,” Balkam said. “If you’re 25, 26 or 28, this sort of thing could be quite funny or amusing. But in the hands of a 14- or 15-year-old, it could be quite the reverse, and particularly if someone is submitting someone else’s photograph and then circulated that photo around school. For impressionable young teens and tweens, it could potentially be quite damaging,” he said. “It could be used in cyberbullying.”
What do you think? Will the Ugly Meter encourage more bullying in schools, or is it just an fun little app to play with?
