Sydney Martinez, Campus Carrier opinions editor
Free speech can often be moderated in the real world. People moderate their voices as to not offend certain groups of people or to avoid being ‘canceled.’ People can find their unfiltered voices online on pages such as Yik Yak. This app is almost like X, however, it is an anonymous platform that allows students to join their school’s community page and post freely. This anonymity gives students the freedom to say whatever is on their minds, whether it is a complaint about campus life or something completely unrelated. Bringing it back home to Berry College, Yik Yak for Berry students is a popular place to express themselves, but it is also known for vulgar and inflammatory content.
The lack of moderation on Yik Yak means that posts can quickly become impractical or irrelevant. While this app could be a platform for useful campus updates or meaningful conversations, it often goes into gossip or crude commentary. Without oversight, it becomes a space where students feel free to post things they wouldn’t say elsewhere, which can make it hard to find valuable, beneath surface level information. In many cases, it’s more a space for blowing off steam or making fun of each other than for thoughtful dialogue, not informing one another on community events or post emergency explanations.
Insider Higher Ed, a website that shares news, analysis and solutions on topics related to higher education communities, shared that Yik Yak first made its debut in 2013 but was shut down in 2017. Originally, posts were not anonymous and fortunately, the app temporarily shut down “following a series of campus controversies involving bullying and racist threats.” The app then reopened in 2021 with anonymous profiles and community guardrails to prevent acts such as those from 2017.
This same anonymity also makes Yik Yak more susceptible to harmful behavior. Hidden behind a screen, people say things they wouldn’t normally express face to face, making cyberbullying more common. There are few safety measures in place to prevent users from indirectly insulting others, being derogatory, or posting hateful or violent content. Without accountability, the platform can become grounds for negativity. The lack of human connection — often fostered through personal interaction — is lost when people are masked by anonymity.
Generally, Yik Yak isn’t a reliable platform for gathering important information. While it can sometimes provide in-depth details about campus life, it is far from a trustworthy source. Posts are anonymous and unverified, which makes it easy for false information to spread quickly. The nature of the platform encourages impulsive posting, meaning students might start rumors or share incomplete stories without checking their facts. As a result, using Yik Yak as a primary source for campus news or events can lead to misinformation. It’s better suited for casual conversations and entertainment rather than as a dependable outlet for accurate updates.
While the app may be harmful, it has its benefits particularly in fostering a sense of community. It allows people who might not normally interact to engage with each other, as posts are anonymous, removing the barriers of gender, race, or sexuality. This anonymity can make it easier for users to agree with or support someone they don’t know, simply by upvoting their posts without bias.
Without a doubt, Yik Yak does more harm than good. The toxic environment can harm the self-esteem of those who lurk the app. The lack of moderation, the anonymity and the spread of false information make the app fun for certain individuals, but for others it can be the reason they don’t download or come near the app. To answer the question within the headline, Yik Yak can be good for free speech in the sense that anything can be said, but that is the root cause of digital chaos to convert into real life contoversies.