Social media has become an ever-present necessity in our lives, and it can even be said that it dictates our generation. With social media, however, everything is public and there is no anonymity—until recently. There is a new type of social media taking college campuses by storm, and its name is Yik Yak.
In this application, people can post anonymous comments in their local area. If a comment gets “downed” (disliked by a user) five times, it gets permanently deleted. Many users seem to be taking advantage of the anonymity factor and use this opportunity to harass people.
Thus, due to its emerging popularity, one has to ask: Is Yik Yak promoting cyber bullying? A third-year student who wishes to remain anonymous does not feel that this is the case. “Even though it can be mean and sometimes a lie, it’s hilarious and entertaining,” the student said.
Jonathan Vinkavich ’15 agrees, to some extent. “For the most part, I think it’s a good thing, since most of the most highly rated posts are always funny, not mean,” Vinkavich said. “That’s not to say there’s no potential for abuse, but it shows the vast majority of people would rather see jokes than rudeness.”
To someone viewing Yik Yak on Lake Forest’s campus, it would definitely seem to appear that Yik Yak users utilize the application in order to “hate” on their fellow students. “It perpetuates gossip and it is a forum for people to trash talk each other passive aggressively,” said Lauren McDermott ’17. “There’s nothing entertaining about gossip or people insulting each other.”
As one user wrote on Yik Yak, “How is it that the users of this app can tell people with depression that they can make it and should stay strong and all of these positive things and then slut shame and bully someone else into tears?”
Along with negative comments being made about individuals, Yik Yak also talks about issues pertaining to the school, the community, society, race, etc. Another user wrote: “I’m mixed race. Proud of both. Everyone needs to just calm down about race.”
As mediators of the application, why is it that negative comments get “upped,” while positive comments get “downed?” People feel comfortable to say whatever they want when they can post anonymously.
“I think it’s funny sometimes, but people take it too seriously when someone posts an offensive remark and people get up in arms about it,” said Paul Dunham ’17.
However, Caitlin Hurley ’15 believes “it’s uncomfortable because the app is just asking for controversial topics and negative comments,” she said.
Unfortunately, there is not much to be done about the negativity that occurs on Yik Yak. It is its own app and cannot be censored by anyone, aside from those who use it.Yik Yak is a form of free speech, so in that sense, it should not be censored.
