“Anonymous” social chat apps lead to increase in teen cyber bullying
Anonymous social chat apps, like Yik Yak, Whisper and Secret, have contributed to an increase in cyber bullying. Although the apps strongly condemn cyber bullying, more and more teens have used the apps to target peers and make threats.
Yik Yak has stated that the app is intended for over 18 year olds, and is pitched to college students. The app was initially launched to provide college communities with a virtual bulletin board for users to communicate with other users in close proximity. However, as parents and technology experts have pointed out, there are no restrictions set in place that prevent younger kids from downloading the app.
Users of such apps develop a false sense of confidence because their identity is kept anonymous. This confidence has led to verbal abuse among students, and among staff members. Threats through Yik Yak have even led to the evacuation and lock down of schools in Massachusetts, Alabama and California in the past two months.
Additionally, Yik Yak responded to threats in Chicago by preventing access to the app across the whole city over a span of several days. According to the Huffington Post, co founder Brooks Buffington said, “We have re-enabled the app for the Chicago area after attempting to geo-fence all high schools and middle schools in the area.”
Once it was permitted again, Buffington explained the company’s plan to prevent misuse in the future. Geo-fencing for all high schools and middle schools in America will be enabled, and will prevent underage kids from accessing the app.
“As developers we always hate to see our app misused, so we want to do all that we can to prevent its misuse by anyone under college age,” Buffington said. “We want to make sure that positive and constructive communities are being formed on Yik Yak, like the ones we see on college campuses.”
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