The Next Problem App: Yik Yak

New information has just surfaced regarding the recently introduced app, Yik Yak.

Although this logo seems rather friendly, you, as parents, should be aware of this app. It allows users, kids, to post anonymous comments to other users, or other kids. As you can read in this article, schools in the Chicagoland area have banned this app from their networks and sent letters to parents asking them to ensure that the app is not installed on their children’s phones.

Read Full Chicago Tribune Article

Here are some things that parents should know about Yik Yak:

• The App Store states that you must be 17 years old to download the app. This clearly doesn’t stop anyone.
• The first line of description of Yik Yak in the App Store is “Yik Yak – the anonymous social wall for anything and everything.” Clearly this app is not intended for middle school or high school age children.
• Yik Yak also allows users to post comments under an alias. Similar to Snapchat, this leads to a false sense of security with kids allowing and almost encouraging them to increase the risk factor on their posts.
• Yik Yak can have frequent and intense sexual content as well as nudity and profanity.
• Users are led to believe that the sources of comments cannot be traced again leading to a false sense of security for kids to bully as well as threaten violence to schools.
• Yik Yak is available through both the App Store (iProducts) and Google Play (Androids).

Take a second to check your child’s phone, tablet, etc. and ensure that they are not using this app. The recent increase in media reports on this app is a double edged sword. While it is great that the attention raises awareness to us as parents, it also raises awareness to kids and increases their intrigue into what Yik Yak is.