Yik Yak: What It Is, How To Use It, and Why the Controversy?

You might never have heard of Yik Yak, but little did you know that way back in 2014, it made waves. The app was shut down in 2017, and today, it is seeing a relaunch. 

What is Yik Yak?

A location-based social media app that you use to post witty or engaging texts within a specified area. Yik Yak is somewhat similar to Twitter. Only, it is anonymous, having been described by TechCrunch as the “hyperlocal anonymous Twitter.” 

Yik Yak is a combination of GPS and instant messaging technologies. It allows its users to discover and share what people, within a 10-mile radius, are talking about. This is precisely what made the app popular with high school and college students. Since they used it to gather news and gossip about other people.

College students and fraternity brothers Tyler Droll and Brooks Buffington founded Yik Yak and launched it in 2013. The app gained traction in 2014 and it took off. And in seven months, it was available on more than 200 college campuses across the nation. In December of 2014, the app was valued at more than $350 million. 

However, due to the controversies it found itself in, Yik Yak started losing its fanbase in 2016. This resulted in its shutdown in 2017. 

Today, the app was relaunched with the addition of “community guardrails” meant to combat bullying, hate speeches, and all the negativity that hounded it back in its initial run. 

What was the Controversy?

As people use Yik Yak to post anonymously, it became a breeding ground for cyberbullies, harassment, and threats of mass violence. The founders marketed the app as suitable for 18 and above but weren’t able to deter high schoolers from using it. Neither were they able to inhibit cyberbullying and harassment as well.

Nevertheless, it still became an addiction for these students, particularly those in college and universities. It was an excellent way to vent their anger at professors, finals, as well as advertise parties and find people to hang out with.

School violence and threats of shootings inside the campus were among the few issues that caused the app to get embroiled in controversy. Thus, gaining many violent reactions from parents. School administrators found it next to impossible to track down the people doing the harassment mainly because of the privacy policy of Yik Yak itself. 

How Do You Use Yik Yak?

To start using Yik Yak, you need to download it on your iPhone, yes, only those with iPhones can get to enjoy it. In its relaunch, Yik Yak is only available for users in the US on iPhone. Sorry, Android users.

Verify that you’re not a robot and turn on the option for finding your location. There are no ifs and buts here, after all, it’s a location-based app.

Open the app to see two feeds, the “New” is the default while the other is the “Hot.” Threads on the New feed are what the app calls “Yaks,” which are arranged in chronological order. The Hot feed is arranged in popularity based on a 24-hour period.

You can upvote a yak which makes it popular. You can do so by tapping the arrow next to it. Downvoting is also available in the event that you dislike it. You can also leave comments by writing them underneath the post.

Click on the green pencil icon on the lower right corner of your screen if you want to post a yak. Tap on “Ready to Send” to get it out there. To know more about the app, just go to “Nationwide Top Yaks” in the lower right corner of the screen.