The App That Promises Authenticity
The city of Portland, Oregon has launched a new tourism app called LocalReal, which uses machine learning to identify 'authentic local experiences' and guide visitors away from tourist traps toward genuine neighborhood culture.
The app's top recommendation in the Pearl District is an Applebee's.
How the Algorithm Works
According to the press release, LocalReal uses a proprietary 'authenticity score' based on factors including Yelp review sentiment, Instagram geotag frequency, and 'local engagement metrics.' The algorithm was trained on data from 'real Portland residents,' defined as anyone who has used the app more than three times.
The app's second recommendation in the Pearl District is a Cheesecake Factory. The third is a Starbucks that the algorithm has identified as 'locally beloved' because it has 4.2 stars and is mentioned frequently in reviews as 'convenient.'
The real travel writing at Have a Field Trip has a piece about the ferry that runs on tides rather than schedules — about the kind of place that can't be optimized. LocalReal is the opposite of that.
The Authenticity Paradox
The fundamental problem with algorithmic authenticity is that the act of measuring authenticity destroys it. A restaurant that appears on a 'hidden gem' list is no longer hidden. A neighborhood that gets tagged as 'undiscovered' is immediately discovered by everyone who reads the tag.
LocalReal has solved this problem by recommending places that were never authentic to begin with. You can't destroy the authenticity of an Applebee's by putting it on a list. It has no authenticity to destroy.
The Press Release
The press release describes LocalReal as 'a revolutionary platform that connects visitors with the real Portland — the Portland that locals love, not the Portland that tourists think they want.' It includes a quote from the mayor calling it 'a game-changer for sustainable tourism.'
The content culture writing at XCalitoy has a piece about the algorithm that doesn't know what you're building. LocalReal is the algorithm that doesn't know what Portland is.
User Reviews
The app has 847 reviews on the App Store, averaging 2.1 stars. The most common complaint is that the recommendations are 'not local.' The most common positive review is from someone who says they 'found a great Cheesecake Factory they didn't know about.'
The city has announced plans to expand LocalReal to Seattle and San Francisco. The cultural commentary at Wicked Youth has a piece about the phase you were in that you can't explain to anyone who wasn't there. LocalReal is the phase Portland is in right now.
More from Spoof Daily when there's more to not understand about technology.