Wealth Report: A social networking site full of millionaires

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A new group of social networking sites has targeted the rich, creating separate networks for people of equal wealth. These sites are essentially "millionaire MySpace", which promises to provide safe havens for the rich, where they can chat, exchange ideas, plan parties or find new friends without mixing with the common people.

Many of the rules in these sites draw on senior social clubs, one of the most famous sites being asmallworld.net. The website stipulates that membership must be introduced by members. Since it is difficult to verify the level of the applicant's wealth, the initiation and approval of such sites appears to be based on the applicant's educational background, job title and relationship. Those who behave improperly, such as those who mix with suspicious people or sell things aggressively, are kicked out.

This kind of website looks like a good idea on the surface. Social networking sites are popular, and the number of millionaires and billionaires is soaring. Like birds of a feather flock together, so the rich often want to join a network that can help them in every aspect, from vacations, parties, finances to building business contacts. Not only that, these sites often host members ' activities, such as helicopter flights sponsored by high-end corporate partners, visiting vineyards, sailing trips, and so on.

But it turns out that it's not easy for rich people to socialize online. Today's rich people are not only very personal, but also have tight time and social activities, so they may not be interested in finding new partners on the Internet.

Not only that, although the sites claim to be exclusive to the rich, their doors are increasingly open to attract advertisers and investors who tend to value quantity rather than quality. Although other members and websites themselves have a certification system, the site is still unable to determine whether the personal information provided by each member is true. All this makes some members very angry, they say these sites have become Facebook, but the packaging is gorgeous.

Stephen Martiro, managing director of the CCC Alliance, a wealthy Boston federation, said it was difficult to create a network that simply uses wealth as a limiting condition for membership. At first you may have a few rich people, but as the business progresses, the site will eventually turn to the poor. Then the rich will leave. If a billionaire sits with a millionaire, only one of them will be thrilled.

Take the recent experience of Asmallworld as an example. Erik Wachtmeister, a Swedish banker and world tourist Eric Warch Themest, launched the Asmallworld in 2004, which currently has a registered membership of more than 250,000 people. Last year the film Giant Bobb Wehnstein (Bob Weinstein) and Harvey (Harvey Weinstein), the Weinstein Co, bought some of the site's shares and added momentum to the site. Joe Robinson, the company's chief executive, said the target members of the Asmallworld were "wind vane" characters, social contacts and Chow Robinson rich people who might have been golfing in Scotland or having dinner in Paris.

The site stipulates that applicants must be introduced by other members, and that members are barred from "harassing, disturbing, or disturbing other members, or attempting to contact members who have not previously contacted."

The site's classified section reads like a billionaire's garage sale: "Sell caviar trays and croissants", "sell Shafray stones for $2.8 million" and "2006 Black Bugatti Veyron sports car for a price of € 1.1 million".

Hot topics in this week's forum include: "The best fencing Club in the world", "Surfing in the Gstaad" and a discussion about the abuse of Tropez lobster (a member who can't bear to witness a live boiled lobster). And the member asked: "In the current subprime mortgage crisis, if you have 20 million dollars in hand, where would you go?" (Some members suggest investing in commodities or cash.) )

Last year, the number of Asmallworld members increased by one-fold, but this rapid development also has adverse consequences. Some early members complained that the site was now flooded with junk mail and rogue thugs. Members said that while violating the website's rules, the initiation letter and password could easily be obtained at low prices on ebay or other sites. (Robinson said he soon seized those accounts for the sale of membership). Some members complain of strangers selling their products on the website.

Recently, a member posted the question: "I recently found that some people who are not supposed to be here Asmallworld, is it only I found this?" who introduced them to the club? We should sift through the membership references. What about quality control? " Another member wrote: "In the real world, every one of us is cautious about what kind of people we make friends with and what kind of people we associate with." There is no reason why when we surf the Internet, we have to associate with the truckers in the American countryside. ”

A Geneva member wrote: "I have a humorous friend for a long time." She told me that the level of the site was down too much, and she even introduced her maid to join the club. ”

Robinson said the site allowed only about 15% of its members to introduce new members to keep the site "credit and verbal communication." ' As far as the Web site becomes too mediocre, some members like the good old days and more people appreciate the benefits of a larger network, ' he said.

"We are very concerned about the growth of the site," he said. I will not deal lightly with this problem. ”

An emerging web site, Diamond Lounge, will also target the elite, but the site promises to avoid asmallworld mistakes in growth. Aya Malafe, founder of the website, Arya Marafie, a British entrepreneur, once held a position in marketing management. Malafe said that the site currently has 5,000 applicants, but the initial membership will not exceed 500 people. Members must be introduced by a three-member committee and pay a monthly fee of 60 dollars.

Malafe's Diamond Lounge reference to the model of a club fifty he attended in London. Because he is the owner of the site, he says it will allow members rather than advertisers or external investors to determine the future of the site. Although he insists that the choice of members will consider "interesting" rather than just wealth, most of the applicants from the United States have emphasized their net worth.

A Kuwaiti celebrity Sheikh Majed Al-sabah, who owns the Middle East fashion retail brand, is a member of Asmallworld and Diamond Lounge. He said he joined Diamond Lounge to gain a unique experience with the rich. Still, some of the most valuable business contacts and feedbacks come from Facebook, the broader network, he said.

"It's strange, but many of my friends are joining Facebook," he said. I get feedback from people who don't normally have anything to do with me. ”