Yik Yak Online Anonymous Messaging Controversy

Yik Yak Online Anonymous Messaging Controversy

At a time when Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are pushing people to put forward their most polished, put-together selves, a new class of mobile applications aims for a bit more honesty. Among the latest is Yik Yak, an anonymous online messaging app for your mobile device that seems to the center of much controversy and criticism.


Yik Yak is a free mobile app on both the IOS and Android platforms that allows people to anonymously create and view “Yaks” or group chats with other people who all reside within a 2.4 kilometre radius of each other. All users within this close radius are automatically put into the same Yak Chat where everyone has equal ability to contribute to the chat stream by writing, responding, liking or disliking yaks.


The app – which was released in early 2014 – was originally marketed towards college and university students as a local version of Twitter. Students were encouraged to share campus happenings, party information, voice complaints and even warn other students about cancelled classes.


Yik Yak works by combining the technologies of GPS and instant messaging, allowing users to anonymously post messages to other nearby users. Before loading messages, the Yik Yak app determines your location and groups you into pockets of 2.4 kilometre radius zones. Within these zones, anyone inside the radius can post and read other people’s “yaks”. Yik Yak is effectively an anonymous bulletin board for people who reside near one another. You could think of it like a virtual neighbourhood message board.


Yik Yak has quickly grown popular in schools, where it can have positive uses such as sharing questions about homework or providing updated neighbourhood news. And even though Yik Yak’s user rules prohibit bullying and cluttering the message feed with useless or offensive yaks there is nothing really to prevent people from posting anything of the sort  because users are anonymous and it seems that for some Canadian schools this has become the case.


Cyberbullying has become the main concern with this app and almost all anonymous messaging apps where the worry is that kids and teens take more risks because their names aren’t associated with an account or a post.  Many school authorities have also raised concerns about threats, pranks, and rumours spread through this app. The recent lockdown at high school in Ottawa following mention of a firearm on its property and released transcript of one student looking for medication to help them stay awake to study for a test are just some of the potential pitfalls this app has.


Some schools have sent notes home informing  parents on it’s potential hazards while taking steps to have the app having it blocked from use on school grounds. Because the app is location-based, it can be blocked by geofencing. This means that Yik Yak can block a user logging into it based on where they are and so if they receive a request from a school or school district to block their school location then students won’t be able to use the app. Be that as it may, like everything online, there are always more than one app for that which will bypass the geofencing restrictions.


I think the answer to fixing online bullying is education. You would want to make sure students know this is a form of bullying or abuse and that it’s not OK. Schools need to include it as part of their anti-bullying campaign teaching kids how to interact with each other in healthy ways. In addition, parents need to have an informed and meaningful conversation with their kids about Yik Yak. I would even go as far as suggesting that parents should even use it themselves so they can see how it works and what kinds of conversations are getting posted.  It is only when schools and parents are on the same page and take the initiative to educate themselves will we see a safer online experience.


CBC technology columnist Dan Misener had a great conversation on this topic that was very informative. You can listen to it at: http://tiny.cc/allaboutyikyak.



thedigitalteacher

 

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