Yik Yak is back!
If you dont know what it is, I dont blame you.
The company announced onTwitterthat its making a comeback with an iOS app.
But before we get into that, lets take a look at the brief history of the social internet.
How did it start?
Tyler Droll and Brooks Buffington, graduates of Furman University, South Carolina started this project as a hobby.
In 2013, they officially released the app that let you create anonymous threads called Yaks.
Users within five miles of the created Yak could participate in the discussion participate in the discussion.
The idea was to let university students gossip about their peers.
What features did it have?
One of the most important features of the app was calledYakarama.
It was a score based on upvotes on your Yaks and replies.
you might think of it as an equivalent of the Reddit karma score.
40% off TNW Conference!
But you could still select a handle and picture to hide your identity, but still have some flair.
What was the controversy around it?
These institutions even instructed parents to ensure that the app is not on their childrens phones.
The shutdown
By 2016, the popularity of the app had decreased drastically by 76% year-on-year.
That year in December, the companylaid off 60% of its staff.
ICYMI: After a 4 year hiatus, Yik Yak is available in the App Store again!
Anonymity, location-based, the hot feed & more everything you used to love about Yik Yak
?
Now available on iPhone in the US more countries and devices coming soon!
The new app has sections addressing issues likebullying, sexual consent, and COVID-19.
However, theres no specific guidelines on misinformation.
The apps site notes that Were committed to combating bullying and hate speech by any means necessary.
But thats what all social media companies say, dont they?
The new app also has downvotes, and any Yak with more than five downvotes will be automatically removed.
However, large platform such as Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram have had their struggles with moderation.
That’s one heck of a mixed bag.
He likes to say “Bleh.
That’s one heck of a mixed bag.
He likes to say “Bleh.”
