In what could be the first example of social networking meeting e-commerce, Yuwie’s founder Korry Rogers says he will give members more than half of the site’s advertising revenue - just for logging on and inviting their friends.
“The whole goal of Yuwie is for people to get paid for what they’re doing already,” he told the BBC News website.
I want people to join because it’s a good networking site not because I’m paying them
Korry Rogers
Yuwie founder
Mr Rogers, 33, says some of Yuwie’s members are earning between ?200 and ?250 a month, although payments “fluctuate”.
“Yuwie users get paid every time they log on, send a message, upload a picture or invite someone to join.”
“If someone only refers three of their friends, who refer three of their friends through 10 levels, that one person will collect a percentage of advertising revenues from about 88,000 end-users, which could be about $8,800 [?4,427] per month for that person.”
Pyramid scheme
Some say this is little more than a technological version of the reviled pyramid scheme.
However, Mr Rogers, a web designer from Oklahoma, disputes this because he says he does not charge his members, unlike traditional pyramid schemes.
As soon as you start paying people to join, then you have people manipulating search engines or paying someone to view their page.
Steve Prentice
Technology analyst
He insists he does not want people to join Yuwie just to make money.
“I want people to join because it’s a good networking site not because I’m paying them.
“I just think it’s a cool idea to pay the users who are providing all the content,” he says.
