For the generation that grew up with the Internet, the idea of being anonymous has always held some kind of appeal. For most of us, it probably started back in elementary school with prank calling. Remember *67, which would make sure your number didn't show up on caller ID?
Then, it got a little more serious. On AIM, you could create any user ID you wanted, and as far as any random chatter online was concerned, you could be a 21-year-old in Beijing instead of a little white girl in America. Then, websites like Ask FM and FormSpring came out, which encouraged you to ask people questions anonymously.
The obsession of being undercover online has only grown since then. I mean, how could we not expect it to with shows like MTV's "Catfish," and apps like Whisper, After School, Rumr, Yeti and, of course, the ever controversial Yik Yak?
Yik Yak is an anonymous online message space where students can post anything they want to be seen by users of the app. Viewers within a five mile radius of the post (presumably other students and visitors) can also respond with comments or favorite/dislike the post or the following comments. While Yik Yak can usually be pretty funny or informative, lately it's become more of a ground for cowards to post discriminatory or hateful things anonymously. The app company had presumably been aware of this potential for damage- so much that they hired a geo-mapping contractor to block Yik Yak from almost all high schools and middle schools.
Would these comments have been made if people didn't think they had anonymity? My best guess would be not many. The reality is that none of these people remained unnamed. At the University of Missouri, a guy on Yik Yak started quoting things that had been said by the Oregon shooter, along with his own disgusting racial threats. And after all of his supposedly faceless statements, you can now find his mug shot with a quick Google search.
In the real world, you have to stand by the things that you say. Unless you're a very smart hacker, you're never going to be completely anonymous, even online. And while these students should be ashamed of the things that they say, apps like Yik Yak should be ashamed of themselves for convincing students that it's a safe place to say them. The idea of providing students with a place to speak to each other without being known online is unrealistic, and can be dangerous and damaging for those who post and respond. A lot of people who make serious posts are hurting, and they need professional help instead of the comments provided by bored 20-year-olds. This is why many schools, including UofSC, continue to condemn the use of Yik Yak. It's not healthy, it's not private, and it's definitely not safe.
