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Original poster

Giggle app - 'for girls only'

110 replies

midclegs · 31/07/2020 12:15

I am becoming more and more angry with a 'women and girls only' app called Giggle. It transpires that this app, which purports to only allow females and tests membership by using 'sophisticated AI' to test for male/female facial characteristics based on 'selfies', is unsuccessfully straddling the line between trying to be inclusive for transwomen (and Sall, the founder, believes TWAW) and lying to women and girls by saying that men aren't allowed.

Here is the website: joinagiggle.com/

TRAs aren't happy because it's trans-exclusive; www.theverge.com/2020/2/7/21128236/gender-appgiggle-women-ai-screen-trans-social

Sall says there are no men on Giggle, twitter.com/salltweets/status/1280070838289436680

Sall tells us itis a forum for women and girls to discuss periods and PCOS twitter.com/salltweets/status/1280065432615923712?s=20

A good thread is here, detailing the contradictory messages that Giggle is setting: twitter.com/adulthumanfem10/status/1284062222155644929?s=20

Sall doesn't allow transmen on to her app (see 2nd image).
And Sall's app has a 'Sex Work' category for girls and women. (3rd image).

Sall appears on Twitter often posing as a GC woman asking questions such as "What is a man", yet her business model blurs the truth. Many many teen girls around the world are being lured into believing that this is a site for females only. But this is a dodgy site which some think is enabling grooming: twitter.com/lunarfish1524/status/1285544427004534785?s=20

Sorry for a potentially incoherent post, but please have a look and let me know I'm not being irrationally bonkers!

(PS I am blocked by her on Twitter, she blocks anyone immediately who asks rational questions)

Giggle app - 'for girls only'
Giggle app - 'for girls only'
Giggle app - 'for girls only'
OP posts:
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8
stillathing · 31/07/2020 14:08

The app is way too "girly" for me although I initially liked the idea. I also think it's wrong if it does exclude transmen - although facial recognition AI is famously "transphobic" (ie like humans it uses various subtle cues to understand sex) so perhaps it doesn't except with prolonged testosterone usage?

I have some sympathy for the founder Sal Grover. She's totally immersed in wokedom but is probably quite feminist leaning at heart. I think she's undergoing a painful transition process where she realises that woke idealogues don't give a crap about her experiences of sexual harassment. I was about her age when the scales fell from my eyes. But it must be so much harder when one has a public profile. And exceptionally hard in the USA with the desperation not to align oneself with Trump and where they don't seem to have an understanding of left wing class analysis to counteract identity politics.

OvaHere · 31/07/2020 13:40

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Original poster
midclegs · 31/07/2020 13:28

@blurpityblurp

It doesn’t have a category for sex work, people can type whatever they want. You could type “Hamster Training.”

I thought MN was all over Giggle due to their decision to ban transwomen?

I find the whole thing very odd. I’m not certain the app actually exists. Feels like an elaborate hoax or PR stunt.

No Hamster Training category here Blurpity.
Giggle app - 'for girls only'
OP posts:
Goldencurtain · 31/07/2020 13:06

I've downloaded the app and it does have a sex work category under jobs. No public sector category, apparently sex work is more common?!

I deleted the app as it was pink branded and called women girls throughout. Found it infantilising.

Original poster
midclegs · 31/07/2020 12:58

@blurpityblurp

It doesn’t have a category for sex work, people can type whatever they want. You could type “Hamster Training.”

I thought MN was all over Giggle due to their decision to ban transwomen?

I find the whole thing very odd. I’m not certain the app actually exists. Feels like an elaborate hoax or PR stunt.

She hasn't banned transwomen, that's the point of my post, she is telling GC women she is.

The app does exist. The first review however states "...... Also don't' really see how you can say this is just for girls all someone has to do is take a selfie of a girl to gain access to the app".

It's disingenuous at best to pretend that this is strictly for females only.

Why do you think it's an elaborate hoax or PR stunt?

Giggle app - 'for girls only'
Giggle app - 'for girls only'
Giggle app - 'for girls only'
OP posts:
Original poster
midclegs · 31/07/2020 12:50

@Xanthangum

twitter.com/salltweets/status/1281130612917547008

I don't know the whole story here, but I am not impressed that a male contractor contacted her dad about 'how to manage Sall'. That would seriously piss me off.

I did see that. Yes, that was rubbish.
OP posts:
blurpityblurp · 31/07/2020 12:44

It doesn’t have a category for sex work, people can type whatever they want. You could type “Hamster Training.”

I thought MN was all over Giggle due to their decision to ban transwomen?

I find the whole thing very odd. I’m not certain the app actually exists. Feels like an elaborate hoax or PR stunt.

Original poster
midclegs · 31/07/2020 12:29

This is (to me) as bad as Action Aid. At least they were honest about their TWAW stance - this app is as slimy as a snail trail.

Given this app is for girls, does anyone know how I can report it / where I can report it given there's a category for sex work?

OP posts:
Xanthangum · 31/07/2020 12:28

twitter.com/salltweets/status/1281130612917547008

I don't know the whole story here, but I am not impressed that a male contractor contacted her dad about 'how to manage Sall'. That would seriously piss me off.

Pelleas · 31/07/2020 12:22

Anything supposedly for women branded 'Giggle' and referencing 'Girls' would be something to which I'd give a very wide berth. That the founders see women as 'giggling girls' tells me all I need to know about the app.

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