A majority of Yik Yak harassment targeted these groups in particular, and brushing this harassment under the wide umbrella of “free speech” can serve to protect privileged members of society while continually harming these vulnerable communities.
Most often, that answer is marginalized communities: women, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities.
#Yakyak app free
The question of free speech often revolves around what, or who, extending all forms of free speech comes at the expense of. This issue is especially relevant for those of us at Binghamton University who can recall the 2020 lawsuit alleging BU administration’s violation of free speech guidelines surrounding conservative organizations and speakers on campus. This conversation also revitalizes the long-standing college debate around free speech. In 2015, the SUNY Brockport president wrote directly to the founders of Yik Yak asking they alter their app after observing an influx of racial slurs and threats following a Black Lives Matter protest.Ĭlearly, Yik Yak’s return poses a potential threat to the wellness of campus communities, leading some to advocate for its removal once again. SUNY campuses alone dealt with a multitude of serious threats to campus safety when Yik Yak peaked in 2014, leading to student arrests at SUNY Canton and SUNY Oneonta. While anonymity can surely cultivate engaging and comical commentary, it can just as easily promote the discriminatory or threatening messages which led to Yik Yak’s downfall in the first place. However, all of the upsides of anonymous sharing are nearly doubled by their downsides.
Whether discussing classes, Wi-Fi or Greek life, campus-related posts give students a unique opportunity to interact with their communities like never before. Very few social media apps can compete with the features of Yik Yak in the ability to offer highly relatable content to a small, centralized crowd. Anonymity can also give students a much-needed outlet to freely complain about campus-related issues without fear of retribution. This environment easily fosters the creativity and humor that Yik Yak is known and loved for on college campuses. Every user or student has a chance to create a message that is upvoted by hundreds of nearby users, providing the thrill of going viral without any identifying factors. As the Yik Yak website says, anonymous features grant all users a voice. The anonymity of Yik Yak definitely has its advantages. Now that Yik Yak is back (back again), it raises an interesting conversation surrounding whether or not anonymous sharing services are safe or worthwhile. Consistent user complaints eventually led to the app shutting down indefinitely in 2017.Īfter purchasing Yik Yak in 2021, the app’s new owners state on their website that they are “committed to making Yik Yak a fun place free of bullying, threats and all sort of negativity.” All bullying and hate speech goes against Community Guardrails, and serious violations will result in users immediately being banned. However, users quickly began exploiting this anonymity, creating a toxic environment overrun with racism, sexism, cyberbullying and other forms of violence. By making anonymity its defining feature, Yik Yak grew exponentially among college students, allowing all students free rein to complain, criticize and joke about their college campus without fear of retribution. The app functions by connecting users within a five-mile radius and creating a shared discussion thread among locals. Yik Yak, an anonymous sharing application first launched in 2013, quickly became popular within college communities. After four years, Yik Yak has finally returned.
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