Among all of the different social media apps, one sticks out on Drake’s campus as the place to go for most anything: YikYak.
I’ve been on YikYak for a few months now, and it’s a very interesting app. There are certain trends that pop up every so often, some funny and some not. I know I chuckle a bit when I see the weekly, “No school tomorrow!!” posts every Sunday night. There is a wide variety of content that I’ve noticed on YikYak that I can definitely see the appeal, to a certain point.
Most of the posts on the anonymous app are people asking about parties, posting memes about campus and letting everybody know when the man known on YikYak as “Lasso Man” is out and about with his trusty fake cow, Alfonzo. I’ve noticed people log on to complain about classes, and with registration coming up, people are asking questions about classes and professors. It can be a good place to turn for a break during your study session. There is never a lack of humor, even during pretty stressful times like midterms.
While YikYak can be a fun place to turn when you need a good laugh or a good break, there are some key things that I think make it less enticing.
While most people use YikYak to share memes and jokes with other people, there is also a lot of gossip and drama on the platform. In just a few months of being on this page, I have seen a lot of rumors spread. The problem is that these posts are anonymous, unless people identify themselves, which they usually don’t. This is a huge problem.
People on YikYak can post whatever they want because it is anonymous, and that anonymity can be detrimental. When comments can be anonymous, that gives the writer a sense of protection from whatever consequences they would face if the post was in their name.
I have noticed that when people post about others they often keep the identity of who they’re posting about somewhat hidden, often by using their initials. However, in the comment sections, people ask about the person and often give clues, which could lead to the person of interest’s identity becoming known. Another issue I’ve noticed is people using their comment system like direct messages. When people ask questions about what or who someone has posted about, instead of directly messaging them, they just put it in the comments for all to see. It seems to me that people forget that just because you are anonymous doesn’t mean the people you’re posting about are.
YikYak has the potential to be a really fun and uplifting place for students to go to relax after a long day. However, the anonymity of the site is detrimental to individuals. While I wouldn’t suggest taking away the anonymity of the app, I would caution people to be wary of what and who they post about. Because even if you are anonymous, people can still figure out who you’re talking about. Overall, though, YikYak is a very fun and humorous platform; it just needs to put less emphasis on the rumors and a little more on the fun!
