reputation (when only a few people think it's good)

[meijin]

Hi, let's say you are a high school student or secondary school pupil and are taking part in a face-to-face survey on smartphone apps. The interviewer asks "Why do you use this social media app?" and you answer "It had good reputation ___________________."

1. among a couple of my classmates
2. among my classmates
3. among my friends
4. in my family

Judging from a few dictionaries I've checked, "reputation" seems inappropriate when only a few people think the person or thing is good.
So I'd say #1 is inappropriate and #3 is appropriate.
#2 probably means the majority of the classmates said the app was good, and #4 probably means the speaker has a large family.

If #1 is indeed inappropriate, what expression should the speaker use instead? Is there a better expression than "A couple of my classmates said it was good"?

 

[sound shift]

Is there a better expression than "A couple of my classmates said it was good"?

There are bound to be some good alternatives, but that's a good one because it uses the plain language that's likely to be heard in this context. If you were to use "reputation" (and I don't recommend it), you'd have to say "It had a good reputation".

 

[meijin]

you'd have to say "It had a good reputation".

You're right. I forgot that it requires the indefinite article...

If you were to use "reputation" (and I don't recommend it),

So, although you don't recommend it, is it actually not wrong to use "reputation" even when only a couple of people said it was good?

 

[Uncle Jack]

I think using 'reputation' suggests a rather more substantial source, or maybe (probably, with schoolchildren) no source at all; "reputation" often really means hearsay.

What friends and family will do is say it is good. They might even recommend it, but again, recommendations are more likely to come from a popular magazine or celebrity endorsement than a school friend.

 

[meijin]

Thank you very much.