Yik Yak is an anonymous messaging app created by two Furman University graduates, Tyler Droll and Brooks Buffington. The two developed the application for its use as a local bulletin for college students. Launched nationally this fall, the app gained nearly $12 million in funding and more than 100,000 users on college campuses across the country.
Contrary to its intended use, many see Yik Yak as a breeding ground for bullying. The founders have stated in the rules, “You do not bully or specifically target other Yakkers.” There is also a zero tolerance policy on posting people’s private information. Droll and Buffington believe that once the app has been out for a longer span of time, the content will improve.
The app filters information from a five-mile radius of other “Yakkers.” Within that range are the following colleges and or universities: Babson, Bentley Brandeis and Lasell. Like so many other colleges, there have been Yaks that have both used and abused the app’s true purpose. On the Lasell campus, people often post about everyday occurrences like cancelled classes, questions about food in the dining hall and in one instance, a stranger walking around campus. The last concern prompted campus police to download Yik Yak notifying students that the situation was controlled.
However, there is also a constant stream of negative and or expressive yaks that flood the feeds of so many students. At its worst, individuals have “Yakked” about certain students and even posted racially disparaging remarks toward certain people or employees on campus.
Nonetheless, with all the bad comes some decent. People often post about issues that are troubling them in their lives. These include the inability to attend classes due to social anxiety and not feeling socially accepted. The responses to these Yaks are surprisingly supportive and presented many viable solutions to problems. This gives some hope to the Yak community, but apps and websites that allow users to post anonymously will always be abused.