For those of you who are relatively in touch with the technological world we live in today, as well as the social aspects that come along with it, you’ve probably at least heard of Yik Yak if you haven’t already downloaded it by now. Yik Yak is one of apple’s newest applications that has just recently become extremely popular here on Auburn’s campus, allowing users to anonymously post on a live streaming wall that is only visible to others in their local area.

There are no guidelines as to what you can or cannot post on Yik Yak, leaving discussion open to anything and everything. It directly connects you to others in your area, in an attempt to keep conversation relevant and interesting to everyone involved. Unfortunately, this aspect of the application not only allows people to understand what everyone is talking about, but also allows people to know who is being talked about as well. 

Sound familiar? It should. Back in 2009, a question-and-answer based social

networking site called Formspring.me was launched that allowed users to anonymously post questions on anyone’s personal formspring page. Due to its popularity with teenagers, coupled with the insured anonymousness of every question posted, formspring.me rapidly became the mecca for cyberbullying.

For the most part, people aren’t taking Yik Yak too seriously as of yet. The majority of “yaks” in our area are humorous in nature, but undoubtedly target the Greek community in particular. While most of the jabs are done in good fun, some have been made at the expense of certain fraternities/sororities, as well as individuals. Sites like these have a tendency to get out of hand and although Yik Yak is currently harmless, it holds the potential to become a serious problem.

Any application that allows users to post anonymously never reaps any positive outcomes. More often than not, people hide behind their anonymity to publicly harass those who they would otherwise be afraid to confront at all. No one uses it to post sweet nothings about people they actually care about because if you have something nice to say, it’s easy enough to do in person. Instead, sites like these typically serve as a gateway for those who garner ill feelings toward an individual, or group of people, to publicly annihilate them in front of their peers without ever having to be held accountable for their actions. It’s not only extremely immature, but it can take a serious toll on those who are already emotionally unstable.

We’re not in high school anymore. We are all young adults and before we know it we’ll all be thrown out into the real world to essentially fend for ourselves. If that’s not enough pressure as it is, we shouldn’t be hiding behind technology to publicly attack one another. There’s a certain responsibility that comes along with growing older and that includes looking out for our peers. We are fortunate enough to attend a university that prides itself on being a “family,” lets uphold that motto by continuing to act like one.