Netropolitan Club

Netropolitan Club was a social network created by composer and performer James Touchi-Peters, which launched September 15, 2014, and died in November of 2014. It was designed for use exclusively by wealthy people.[1] The website has a sign-up fee of $9000 (US dollars) and an annual fee of $3000 for renewing one's membership.[2]

Death after two months

After only approximately two months the site was deemed a failure.[3]

Distinguishing features

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 ($9000 to join, $3000 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

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] and Russia Today reported a Facebook user as saying "$9000 for a crappy Wordpress Social Network. Must say a great scam and I can't stop laughing - I hope this guy make a bundle off of these suckers".[10]

References
  1. Herman, Barbara (September 15, 2014). "Netropolitan: Social Networking For Rich People". Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  2. Mitchell, Russ (September 15, 2014). "Netropolitan.club: A Facebook for rich people". Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  3. USA Today: 2014: Year of the Uber-ing of everything
  4. "About The Netropolitan Club". Netropolitan Club. Archived from the original on September 27, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  5. "Netropolitan: Social network for the rich costs $9000 to join". Express Tribune. September 22, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  6. "Netropolitan: Facebook For Rich People". NPR. September 17, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  7. 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.
  8. Rundle, Michael (September 18, 2014). "Netropolitan, AKA 'Facebook For Rich People', Costs £5,500 To Join". Huffington Post (UK). Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  9. "Facebook -- for rich people (for just $9,000)", CNN, 16 Sept 2014. Accessed 27 Oct 2014
  10. "'Facebook for the rich' begins accepting members at $9,000 apiece", RT, 17 Sept 2014. Accessed 27 Oct 2014
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