It’s an anonymous feed on a dark screen, Yik Yak provides an open forum with unnamed posters and local posts that are within a specified radius. Here, college students across the nation are able to post things relevant to the area, and to themselves.
The app has previously been banned for cyberbullying issues, but is back and popular as ever. One of the main attractions of the app is its anonymity which allows for almost anything to be said by anyone. Almost.
Back on Sept. 7, a University of Idaho student was arrested for posting a bomb threat to the app. Within the same day, the FBI was able to direct the local police to the student’s front door. Despite being an anonymous app, it does not protect individuals from real-life consequences.
Recently at ASUI, senators unanimously voted to recommend that the university take action against the app. Part of their decision was pushed by instances of bullying in relation to Greek life as well as ASUI candidates.
While well intentioned, this resolution fails to address the reality of the situation. Having the university take action against a social media platform oversteps into students’ personal lives and will not actually resolve instances of bullying.
Within the powers of the university, one of the few options would be to block the app on university Wi-Fi. There is little else the university could do.
For the majority of us who have attended public high schools, the idea of having an app banned can take us back. Back to the building with strict teachers monitoring our every move, with apps like Snapchat, Instagram and even YouTube banned.
Blocking Yik Yak would begin to shift the power of choice from the students to the university. College shouldn’t be like this.
Let’s say the university bans the app from the school Wi-Fi. Students off campus can still access their Wi-Fi at home, continuing the discussion of UI’s campus just minutes away from it. And with data plans, many students who live on campus would still have easy access to the app with the touch of their screens. Even if banning the app was the right move to make, it just wouldn’t be effective.
There is no question that Yik Yak can be a toxic platform. With the name dropping of Greek houses and even specific students, the app’s anonymity brings out the worst in people. Still, the decision should not be the university’s to make.
Like all forms of online bullying, reporting and blocking are the best steps to take. Burdening oneself with the false rumors spread via Yik Yak won’t do anyone a favor.
Even without the app, these conversations are still happening behind closed doors. Maybe it’s time to reflect on why homophobic comments are being made and alleged rapists are being name dropped.
Though we do not believe it is the university’s place, the app needs to be better monitored. It is too often that hate speech and targeted attacks are in the “New” feed. Rather than an issue that needs to be addressed campus to campus, the app needs better moderators.
Apps like Reddit show it’s possible to have public and anonymous forums without spreading hate. While some toxic communities may pop up, the moderators generally do well to address and remove bad posts.
As ASUI pushes for administration to take action, we represent another student perspective; the freedom to choose what we interact with online is not one for the university to interfere with. Freedom of speech can be ugly, but it’s our right.
- Editorial Board