This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UNL chapter.

For iPhone and Android owners, there are hundreds of thousands of apps that will give anything from daily horoscopes to a detailed report about what phase the moon is in. Apps have the ability to let users review restaurants, hotels, and…guys? Lulu, an app created by Alexandra Chong, let’s women anonymously connect through Facebook and review guys based on appearance, humor, manners, ambition and commitment. Chong started the app at Florida State University and the University of Florida as a way for women to find out if that cute guy in history class is #CheaperThanABigMac or #NerdyButILikeIt. As the “About Us” section of the app explains,

“At the end of the day, Lulu is all about encouraging good, gentlemanly behaviour, and providing a platform that makes girls’ research easier and more fun. Ultimately, we see Lulu as a private network dedicated to women and relationships, providing an online extension and enhancement of the kind of information and support that women provide each other in real life.”

While the app should be given props for only allowing preset options as to keep men from being completely ripped to shreds, there were a few red flags that popped up when I first heard about Lulu. First of all, it is essentially a rating and review system. For people. Last I checked, it was only socially and morally acceptable to rate the newest below average slasher movie. While some of the things posted about the guy you’re checking out may be true, ex-lovers or hookups never promised to fight clean… which could lead to a #TotalF***ingDickhead rating that could be undeserved. Also, I shudder to think of the mobs of enraged, torch-bearing women stomping down the house of a man who creates a similar system for men to rate women.

While Lulu promises to be private by only allowing women on the app, there are obvious ways around this. Lulu only bases their determination of your sex on what box you checked when you joined Facebook. And who doesn’t have a girl friend that’s willing to chuckle with you about your 8.4 rating?

While Lulu was made with the good intent of keeping women from falling for a wolf in sheep’s clothing, there are definite fallbacks. Our fixation with judging others based upon social media could lead us to writing off our next prince charming. Who can deny that they’ve dismissed potential suitors based on their “lame” Facebook or Twitter? It may be a novel idea, but talking to a guy may be the most accurate way of determining whether he is #HygienicallyChallenged or a #TeddyBear.

Rate Before You Date: New App Gains Criticism

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