When it comes to smartphone apps, there’s always something new and interesting that keeps you glued to your phone. It’s usually something like a new version of Angry Birds or a Pinterest update that keeps you distracted during class, but occasionally we get a treat: something creative, original, and eye catching.
Whisper is such an app. Released last April, it has gained tons of attention over the past few months and is especially popular among college students. While the app is currently only available for iPhones, Whisper has made a name for itself even among those of us who prefer the Droid. Sad to say, this means that I have not actually had the unique experience of using this particular app (however, never fret my fellow Android disciples, rumor has it we’ll be getting our own version soon enough).
However, I have seen how it has affected our culture already. Rather than spilling your guts in a public forum where you have an identity, Whisper allows you to tell everyone your deepest secrets, fears and dreams, all while remaining completely anonymous. The app separates its anonymous secrets into popular whispers, latest whispers and local whispers. This means you never know whose life you are reading about. That post you just read about someone bombing their math final could easily be about that same test you just took and were feeling insecure about. Who knows, it could even be from the hottie who sits next to you in class! But that’s half the beauty of Whisper. You don’t have to worry about people judging you for your secrets. If I shared, “I like to walk around like a Velociraptor when my roommates aren’t around” (a true fact, by the way), you’d never know that I had been the one to send it.
While this app does allow for freedom, we should still be careful what we post, even in an anonymous forum such as the one Whisper provides. If we go around naming other people in our whispers and say bad things about them, it could really hurt someone’s reputation. Come on guys, whisper responsibly. We should use it to say the things that we aren’t comfortable saying out loud. That’s why it’s a whisper. Because we still have to find the courage to say it with a full voice.
You can download the app here, or visit the Whisper on Ohio State Facebook page!
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