While trying to transition from lazy summer nights to late night cramming sessions, students are looking for new ways to cope with the unrelenting stress. Social media in the past has provided students with an escape from reality and the latest reason to procrastinate– Yik Yak.
The app, available for Apple and Android mobile devices, allows users to post anonymous, uncensored comments up to 200 characters long. Local users see these “yaks” and can comment, “upvote” or even “downvote” the yak until it is no longer visible.
Started by Furman University graduates, Brooks Buffington and Tyler Droll, the app was released this past November and has had a drastic increase of members, according to Business Insider. In one case, a university had 2,000 members sign up in one day.
Personal confessions, embarrassing moments and comical wisdom are a few of the many types of yaks that can be found on the app. Yik Yak also appeals to the competitive side of users through a rewards system called “yakarma” where they get points when their yak is “upvoted.”
Since there is no censorship or way to identify the person behind the comment, Yik Yak has received a lot of negative feedback due to some of the resulting offensive content. Two girls have stretched their anonymous freedom so far that they both separately posted threats on Yik Yak about a shooter at high schools in Philadelphia, Pa. and were charged with felonies, according to Philly.com.
Yik Yak provides rules that clearly state the app’s discouragement of bullying or attacking fellow “yakkers.” The app also urges people to downvote or report anything offensive.
In spite of the rules there will always be a few that cannot resist trash talking other frats or bad-mouthing enemies. In order to keep Yik Yak a lighthearted getaway from homework, stray from the hate and keep anonymously posting funny anecdotes.
Top 5 TCNJ Yik Yaks
5. Truer words have never been spoken.
4. Good try Eick. You weren’t fooling anyone.
3. Don’t we all.
2. All those in favor? Aye!
1. And “get escorted out by the police.”