‘Ugly app’ encourages bullying - expert

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‘Ugly app’ encourages bullying - expert

3News NZ

A new 'ugly' app rates peoples' ugliness

A new 'ugly' app rates peoples' ugliness

By Tom McRae

A phone application which tells people how ugly they are is tailor made for bullying, cyber experts say.

The ugly meter lets smartphone users take a photo of someone's face and it is then judged by the programme.

The top selling app right now, called 'The Ugly Meter', takes a photo and scans the structure of the face.

Ratings are given from 0 to 10 with 10 being the ugliest.

Cyber experts warn it is not only flawed but it is dangerous.

Martin Cocker from Netsafe says it is built for bullying.

"I think the app is tailor-made for someone who wants to bully someone else and certainly people who are suffering from low self esteem or are targets of bullying might find this app to be quite painful," he says.

But the app does not break any laws.

"It's not going to be stopped or regulated I'm afraid that's going to be the way," Mr Cocker says.

Most people 3 News spoke to laughed off their ratings regardless of what they scored.

To show just how inaccurate it is, some of the country's hottest names scored badly.

And even the experts agree beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

3 News

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