The concept of a social division based on class and wealth touches all spheres of living. And now such a division has hit the internet. Don’t believe us? Just check out ‘Rich Kids’.
It calls itself ‘open’ but your right to post ends at your bank balance.
So What Makes It So Special?
In an age where social networking websites give back to users, Rich Kids employs a stranger strategy. Riding on the exclusive nametag, the website aims to attract people by promising them the online attention that no other website can give.
Similar to Instagram, the website allows users to share pictures but cuts a deep hole in their pockets by charging a hefty $1000 per month. You can use it for free with your Facebook account but only paid users will be able to share content.
Put bluntly, the website lands you to an introductory page stating that it’s not for you if you can’t pay up. But how far can such elite groups go when there’s so much free content.
CEO Juraj Ivan aims to portray rich people in a more positive light who he believes have been demonized as rude and obnoxious by his competitors.
But with the rich left to flaunt their posts, jealousy doesn’t only seem like a natural but a forced reaction.The website might as well add a red carpet welcome for elite users.
There’s no disagreement to the fact that the internet is a cesspool filled with enough narcissistic and self-centered people. So perhaps the website might gain some traction from those affluent enough to post about luxury cars, jets, dream vacations and gifts that only a few can even dream of. But what about after all that?
The Good, The Bad, and The Plain Crazy
Rich Kids promotes itself as a website untouched by poverty but also sells it to build a positive image. According to the homepage, one-third of the membership fee is donated to charities that support poor children to study.
“(Rich Kids) is a new social network where our members can really stand out and be visible in an elegant and meaningful way and build a true fan base. The membership price is set so high to ensure the quality and exclusivity,” said CEO Juraj Ivan.
And while it seems like the website is working for a noble cause but what does it have to validate these claims. Mega corporations have always functioned under the umbrella of innocence to hide all that goes on behind locked doors.
Rich Kids promises its members the chance to be in touch with their followers. But it seems that it’s blind to the pillars of such a promise. People keep coming back to Twitter and Facebook because no matter where they are or who they might be, their opinions are treated with equality.
Juraj’s app is no different from any robust rich kids’ society we might hear about from college fraternities and like any special group on the web, its future is uncertain.
A time might surely arrive when free users will grow tired of looking at expensive content and simply leave. But as for the elitist snobs of the 21st century, the quest for exceptionalism never ends.
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