Mobile app spurs anonymous confessions
A new social media mobile app has made its way into the hands of Chapman students. This app is filled with posts like: “Albertaco’s should take Panther bucks.” “College: where you skip class to do work for another class.” “Hooking up with certain individuals can change the path you walk to class forever #swerve.” “Midterm in three minutes. Time to start studying.”
Anonymous users are downloading the social media app, Yik Yak, which features an updated feed of unattributed posts submitted by users within a close proximity based on GPS tracked location. Many students are downloading this app to revel in the anonymity of the experience.
Yik Yak first launched in November of 2013 and started gaining popularity at Chapman in September when classes began.
On Sept. 22, Jerry Price, vice chancellor of student affairs and dean of students, emailed his weekly announcements, which included a caution to be wary when using social media outlets such as Yik Yak, which encompass anonymity.
On Sept. 29, Price released another email with links to two news articles that highlight the issues other universities have had with Yik Yak such as racism and bullying.
In addition to posting, Yik Yak also allows users to “up-vote” posts that they enjoy and “down-vote” posts that they don’t find amusing. Users can anonymously reply to posts and create dialogue about each one. Users must be 17 years or older to use the app, which is only available through Apple’s app store.
“I think it’s all about how you use it,” said Hallie Messenger, a sophomore business major and campus representative for Yik Yak. “If you use it in a positive way, it can be really entertaining and it can be really funny, but if people abuse it obviously then that does tend to make it controversial.”
Freshman business major Danny Spireo said that he was at a party when a friend introduced him to the app.
“The first couple of posts I read were back when it wasn’t so popular and it was just hilarious,” Spireo said. “Now I guess it caught on like wild fire.”
Cam Mullen, lead community developer for Yik Yak, said that the app started gaining popularity on the west coast in April and its user base is growing rapidly.
“There are constantly people joining the app every day,” Mullen said. “You have about 7,000 people in Orange using the app and a lot of these are from Chapman University.”
Mullen said Yik Yak has been targeting Chapman because it seemed like the perfect small-to-medium sized college filled with students they think would enjoy utilizing the app.
Sophomore English and integrated educational studies major Emily Miller said that she has noticed more people have started using Yik Yak.
“A lot of people have been getting it now because of Jerry Price’s email,” Miller said. “Everyone just says it’s hilarious. That’s all they ever say.”
Price said that he was aware that he might call more attention to the app, but he also didn’t want the subject to go untouched.
“I don’t want people to feel like we’re aware of these things and don’t have an opinion on them,” Price said. “I’d rather have the people who are offended and feeling kind of personally attacked by what’s being said to think that the university has their back.”
Price said that the anonymity is what makes the app questionable.
“I don’t see what Yik Yak can do that can’t be done with people putting their name on it,” Price said. “What’s the point of anonymity other than to be able to say really obnoxious things that you don’t have to own?”
Messenger said the anonymity could be dangerous, but it’s also the entire basis for Yik Yak.
“I think that people can hide behind it a little bit, but that’s the point,” Messenger said. “There’s a lot people can’t say when their name is behind it … because if an employer searches your name, what are they going to find?”
Mullen said that this controversy is being taken very seriously at Yik Yak.
“We understand that it’s an issue that has come up and we recognize that with any social app or network, there is a likelihood of misuse from a small group of users,” Mullen said.
In order to maintain the user base that the app creators would like to see, Yik Yak has implemented two systems to filter out inappropriate posts.
“We noticed that high school students use it inappropriately, so we’ve blocked virtually all high schools and middle schools around the country,” Mullen said.
If you try to open the app and are too close to a high school or middle school, a message appears that says the app is not accessible in that area.
“We also have a moderation team which is going through all the posts and looking for people misusing it,” Mullen said. “We are constantly trying to improve on this and find ways to ban or suspend users who are using it inappropriately so the experience will get better and better.”
Junior television and broadcast journalism major Connor Williams said that he could see the app being used inappropriately.
“You could potentially see bullying and that kind of thing like anonymous stabs at people,” Williams said. “This ugly person in the caf or this ugly person at the Student Union and then they’re using peoples’ names and there’s really no way to find out who said that.”
Williams does not plan on downloading Yik Yak, but said all of the posts he’s seen through active users have been entertaining and people are using the app appropriately.
“From the stuff that I’ve seen so far, it’s just been comedy and people doing funny stuff,” Williams said.
Price said that he would like to see more support for other ways to evoke meaningful conversations among students.
“I’m not trying to shut anything down,” Price said. “I’m just trying to advocate for the value of having interactions that you own and that you know who you’re talking to and who’s saying what.”
Photo courtesy Kaboompics.
