Launched today, BragThis.com is a new social
networking that allows its users to share their brag stories about their ?abilities,
achievements, adventures and absurdities.?
BragThis? motto is ?Please check your modesty at the door.?
With the focus firmly set on
actions and undertakings rather than on personal life facts, the breadth and
detail of user profiles is deliberately kept to a minimum. Instead, users are offered the opportunity to
claim ?official bragging rights? or ?boasts? for their exploits ? a boast being
defined as a bragging right supported by all or any of the various types of
evidence that can be published on the site. These include audio, photo and
video posts and sworn testimonies. It is also possible to subpoena witnesses
and friends.
In return for his or her
entries, the author of a "Boast" can hope to receive digital
certificates, awards, trophies as well as a given quota of points or stars. Stars
are used to establish the user?s rank against other braggers, visible at all
times thanks to the Leader Board
feature. ?Boasts? can be further
circulated by posting them to the searchable network or to the user?s primary
social network or social bookmarking site.
The site was produced by
Advertology, LLC. The professed objective of its founder Michael Evan Reiss, is
?to cultivate customer loyalty by creating an engaging and competitive
environment."
Accordingly, the atmosphere
of friendly rivalry it purports to foster is turned to commercial advantage
through the Show Off
functionality, a system for ordering merchandise such as T-shirts, mugs or
mouse pads, all customized using ?boast?-related images and metrics either
downloaded from the site or generated and uploaded by the user. The items created
in this fashion can be submitted to a jury of other site-members.
BragThis.com is currently
released as a Beta. It has been announced that coming versions will implement
several new features and greater levels of interactivity, most notably by
providing opportunities to compete with other users more directly and for real
prizes.