Netropolitan Club

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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]

  1. ^ a b Herman, Barbara (September 15, 2014). "Netropolitan: Social Networking For Rich People". Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c 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