More social media dangers lurking? Threats of rape on college campuses, verbal abuse, terrorist attacks, and millions of reputations tarnished, all because of an app called “Yik Yak.” The reason why? Two words. It’s anonymous. Since there is no requirement to have a user profile, Yakkers can post anything without divulging who the post if from. Another way of posting things that are insulting, demeaning and harassing, all without your friends ever knowing it! And we wonder why there's so much controversy in our children’s generation and everything surrounding their world. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, and hundreds of other apps are consuming their day to day life. Now we have the added “Yik Yakkers” causing a larger issue – the advancing of cyberbullying.
While the concept of “Yik Yak” sounds attractive to middle school students and high school students because of its anonymity, schools and colleges across the nation are investigating its safety. Take for instance, the freshman at Michigan State who yakked and threatened to use a gun at 12:15pm on campus. He was found and arrested two hours later, and found only when Yik Yak agreed to respond to authorities because mass violence was involved. Seriously? Is this Yak Yak the new trend that is considered cool amongst teens?
Look, don’t get me wrong. I’m all for keeping up with today’s tech-savvy world and knowing the benefits that technology now provides for our kids. However, I’m not keen on an app that produces harmful effects on young tweens and teens where their vulnerability is more apt to opening doors that can lead to dangerous consequences. As if we don’t have enough to worry about with our kids, I am beyond disturbed by our culture of indignity, and now mortified with the thought of “Yik Yak” becoming the new destructive and anonymous chit chat. Yik Yak’s founders are claiming some “growing pains”. Not exactly growing constructively in my opinion.