Giggle app - 'for girls only'

[midclegs]

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)

Good for her.

It seems extraordinary that activists would try to convince a group it's safe and desirable to admit them, by piling on with threats of rape and murder.

@despairenting

Out of interest, how does this app/company make money? Does it have ads or in-app purchases or something?

I’d like to know the answer to this one too...

@despairenting

Out of interest, how does this app/company make money? Does it have ads or in-app purchases or something?

Yes I think there are premium features that can be purchased. I don't know if there are adverts, but the main features are free, and if you want some extra perks then you pay for those.

Thanks Nonny.

Has anyone got it? What do you think?

I heard there was a question at some point over the promotion of prostitution as “work” on Giggle. Does anyone know anything more about that?

She's very clear in that letter. Good for her.

The letter is great. I'm behind you Sall.

But the inclusion of 'sex work'? What?!

@NoPupIsTooSmall

The letter is great. I'm behind you Sall.

But the inclusion of 'sex work'? What?!

Is it to offer support and resources for those who are in the sex industry and want to escape but feel trapped? feels sceptical

Responses on Twitter are positive, but this letter doesn't seem to have had much circulation (and hasn't been promoted by some high profile GC types). Any ideas why?

Is it to offer support and resources for those who are in the sex industry and want to escape but feel trapped? feels sceptical

I wondered that and can only hope it is something like that. Anything that normalises or attempts to legitimise prostitution and paid for rape on an app designed for women and girls would not be a welcome feature, in my humble opinion!

But the inclusion of 'sex work'? What?!

It may be another of those areas where a feminist who is generally 'liberal' may not have fully thought through the implications yet.

Support for women who may feel they have no other options, sure, but placing it between science and technology ...

@ChChChChChangesToUsername

Responses on Twitter are positive, but this letter doesn't seem to have had much circulation (and hasn't been promoted by some high profile GC types). Any ideas why?

I'm not high profile on Twitter, but I know that lots of GC women either blocked or were blocked by Sall. Her 'sex work is work' stance bothered many, as did her responses to polite criticism about her choice of the name Giggle and constant use of 'girls' to refer to adult women. She was also dishonest about the app at one point - saying that it was for women but refusing to say who counted as a woman, and later claiming that the policy was and had always been that the app was for natal women only, calling women who presented her with evidence of her previous pro-TRA stance liars and fakers.

Despite all that, the letter is fairly powerful.

Good letter.
Just occurred to me, is 'Giggle' some play on 'Google'? Not that Google is really a networking app

@ErrolTheDragon

But the inclusion of 'sex work'? What?!

It may be another of those areas where a feminist who is generally 'liberal' may not have fully thought through the implications yet.

Support for women who may feel they have no other options, sure, but placing it between science and technology ...

Are they listed alphabetically?

Just occurred to me, is 'Giggle' some play on 'Google'? Not that Google is really a networking app

Sadly not. Sall's explanation is that it's a collective noun. Like 'a murder of crows' - 'a giggle of girls'. And the app is for 'girls' (but under 16s aren't allowed to register).

Her response to anyone who thinks this is a tiny bit sexist is to say they're boring or no fun and should lighten up.

Are they listed alphabetically?

Probably, but wherever, putting this in a list with solid career choices lends a false legitimacy.

I can't imagine my DW, sister or any of my female friends going within a million miles of an app called 'Giggle'. Why not go all the way and all it 'Simper'? Ironically, the one person I can imagine wanting to use it is a TW.

I can't imagine my DW, sister or any of my female friends going within a million miles of an app called 'Giggle'.

I can't imagine any self-respecting woman or girl signing up to it either TBH.

@ErrolTheDragon

Are they listed alphabetically?

Probably, but wherever, putting this in a list with solid career choices lends a false legitimacy.

I agree. I would have thought that helping to protect women in the sex industry primarily is about getting them away from it, and not a "whoo, girl-power!" 'fist-bump' type thing. It's not empowering. Why "affirm" or encourage something so inherently damaging? And not just damaging for the women doing it but for all women and girls and the message within that is sent.

I actually really like the founder and follow her - she has been on THAT journey that most of us here have and I think she is there now. I think she has been stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place with this. Launching a new app amid the crazy cannot have been easy.

Oh and just to add because I really just can't help double posting - I do NOT agree with her stance on so called "sex work" (I hate that phrase) but I can disagree with people and like other things about them. Having read further here though I'm not sure I'm impressed by the blocking of GC women because they disagree with you.

I actually really like the founder and follow her - she has been on THAT journey that most of us here have and I think she is there now. I think she has been stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place with this. Launching a new app amid the crazy cannot have been easy

Yes I like her too. And I think where some of us went through a process of realisation in the comfort and privacy of our own homes she has had to do it publicly on Twitter which is the stuff of nightmares :D

The FiLiA podcast has an interview with Sall out today. I haven’t listened to it yet though so can’t tell you anything about it, just thought I’d post on here.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/filia-podcasts/id1461524178

Hello. This thread was just brought to my attention, as it has been sent to people, and I want to address it.

First of all, this post is from July 2020. It states a lot of outdated information.

Giggle is strictly for females. I have been very open and honest about my/our journey with this. During the development of Giggle, I was unaware of the current escalating issues with gender ideology. When they were brought to our attention, Giggle's policy and security measures changed to ensure that Giggle is, and always will be, a female-only platform.

Second, I am many things but I am not a liar.

Third, it is my goal that the "Sex Work" category on Giggle be known as a place where women in the industry can go, feel safe in an all-female environment and, if they want, be mentored out of the industry. Again, I have spoken about this many, many times. Giggle welcomes all women to create accounts to help women in the sex industry.
(Incidentally, the "Sex Work" category has been renamed "Sex Industry". This was done by vote on Twitter.)

Finally, if you don't like the name "Giggle" that is entirely your right. I don't like the name Twitter, yet many of us get over that, don't we?

It saddens me that this spread of misinformation exists especially when I have always responded to any question put to me.

If anyone ever has any questions about Giggle, they are more than welcome to ask them at hello [at] giggle-girl [dot] com

Thank you.

Sall x
Giggle CEO

Thank you very much and you are correct. I don’t regret the journey at all, as I’m pleased we have the evidence of the profiles, etc, of male people.

On the Sex Industry issue, there is no solicitation or grooming permitted in Giggle. In the event a profile was there for that to happen, the user would be removed. But I’m not going to deny access to women in the sex industry based on “what if’s”. Especially considering the female-only nature of the app does change the nature of behavior.