Out-of-Class #1: A Typical Example

JRN 200

10-22-15

Yik Yak

A popular social media application used by many college students all around the country is used mostly for fun, but could also be used to potentially cyberbully and harass others.

The name of the app is called Yik Yak.

The idea of Yik Yak is based around the idea of being able to post your thoughts and comments anonymously and have it not get traced back to you in any kind of way.

Due to these circumstances, students think they can post whatever they want, especially in a reckless matter a majority of the time. HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS? IS THIS WHAT A NEUTRAL EXPERT TOLD YOU OR ARE YOU JUST ASSUMING?

An expert in kid’s use of social media, Christine Greenhow, gave insight as to why students may resort to using this application in the first place.

“One reason for this might be because it’s not under adult surveillance so they can post things that aren’t on their Facebooks and this app allows them to be anonymous,” Greenhow said.

Greenhow also said that with anonymous communication, there can be a higher number of bullying and harassment, as expected.

IS THERE DATA TO SUPPORT THAT? LET’S LOOK

Along with possible threats that can very well come along with Yik Yak, there is also lots of other vulgar content involved with it. WHAT IS THE ATTRIBUTION HERE? ARE WE ASSUMING AGAIN?

Examples of these includes propositions for casual hook-ups and even asking other users to send explicit pictures to them. WHAT IS THE ATTRIBUTION HERE? ARE WE ASSUMING AGAIN?

A user of Yik Yak, pre-med Michigan State University student Haley LeQuia, gave her observation over when it comes to this type of misuse on the app.

“Many people meet up on Yik Yak, and I feel as if that's not a very good idea. Nobody knows who they are talking to and what kind of person they are. So if they decide to meet up, something could happen and nobody would know who they were with. I don't think people think about this, because most of the time they are just worried about finding a quick hook-up,” LeQuia said.

LeQuia also said she always sees a lot of crazy things on Yik Yak, but the most ridiculous things are, of course, people asking for explicit pictures and/or sexual favors.

Also, another current user of Yik Yak, business MSU student Kelsie Hopfauf, said that along with these types of things you see on the app, she has also seen other different posts regarding absurd types of harassment as well.

“I have seen several posts directly targeting a single person by explaining what they were wearing/doing followed by how the original poster thinks the person is "ugly," "stupid," "ridiculous," QUOTES INSIDE OF QUOTES GET SINGE QUOTE MARKS ‘LIKE THIS,’ PER AP STYLE or something of that sort,” Hopfauf said.

Hopfauf also said people might stoop to this level because they can express things that they do not think would be "socially acceptable," or things that they are not comfortable posting when people can see that they are the ones that said it.

When thinking about it this way, this might show that students just may very well be insecure and could not say these comments to the ones they are harassing faces.

Also, another Yik Yak user, former MSU student Jason Sayles, said he explores the app from time to time to see what current students discuss on it.

“The most ridiculous post I’ve see on Yik Yak is the one regarding the (presumed) guy who is obsessed with girls and bodily wastes,” Sayles said.

So when all of these factors come into play, there is one question here to think about; how can these different issues possibly be prevented?

Going back to Greenhow, she said the whole problem behind it needs to go back to the classroom setting.

“We need better education efforts; we need to both research education that addresses in the classrooms how to stay safe online and to think about your behavior on these online settings so it doesn’t come back to haunt you. Teachers and students need to work together to make these things apparent because students aren’t thinking about the future,” Greenhow said.

Greenhow also said that everything on other social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, are digitally archived; so who is to say apps like Snapchat and Yik Yak are not as well, just without people knowing?

Also, Hopfauf said that one thing Yik Yak has been recently trying out is the use of the last four digits of users’ phone numbers being included when posting pictures on the app.

“If this was on every post, it would still allow people to post anonymously, but it would also raise some accountability and possibly make people think twice about what they're posting in fear that someone will recognize their number,” Hopfauf said.

Although Yik Yak is, of course, used mainly as a source of entertainment, users should still be careful and think before they post. ACCORDING TO WHOM? IS THIS FROM A SOURCE OR ARE YOU OFFERING YOUR OWN OPINION HERE?

Word Count: 784

Sources:

·        Christine Greenhow, assistant professor of educational technology and educational psychology

Expert in social media in education, kids’ use of social media, digital literacies and   national educational technology standards.

greenhow@msu.edu

·        Haley LeQuia, Pre-med major, 995 N. Brody Road, Lansing, MI 48912, 517-488-1188

lequiaha@msu.edu

·        Kelsie Hopfauf, Business major, 411 Lathrop St., Lansing, MI 48912, 616-826-2652 hopfaufk@msu.edu

·        Jason Sayles, former MSU student, Co-Lead Patient Coordinator, 2309 Belaire Drive, Lansing, MI 48911, 517-648-3424

saylesj1@msu.edu

ASSIGNMENT GRADE: (GRADE REDACTED)

INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS: WE HAVE A SERIOUS LACK OF DATA IN THIS STORY. I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE USE THIS; HOW IT COMPARES TO OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS, ETC. THERE’S NO STATISTICAL QUANTIFICATION FOR WHY YIK YAK IS MORE PROBLEMATIC OR NOT. PLUS, WE FAIL TO GIVE YIK YAK A CHANGETO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES ON THIS. THIS IS A GOOD START, BUT WE HAVE A WAYS TO GO.