Have you heard of Yik Yak? Do you know what it is? Want to know more? Click here.
That is the Yik Yak founders’ description of their social media app. Sounds harmless, right? Then what is the purpose of making it anonymous? Does what happens on Yik Yak really stay on Yik Yak? Do you have to prove you are 17 years old to download the app? The answer is a resounding, no!
Due in large part to Yik Yak’s anonymous nature, it has become a new and destructive tool in the world of cyber bullying. The Darlington Community and your child are not immune to this cruelty. Unfortunately, we have users of this app who have made the choice to post extremely cruel comments, using the names of their victims, while they themselves remain anonymous. I choose to believe these misguided individuals represent a small portion of our community.
So, if we believe there is power in numbers, then there is a lot that we, the majority, can do.
Teachers and Parents: Ask your students if they have the Yik Yak app on their phones. If so, ask them why. If not, ask them why. Engage them in conversation about the serious nature of bullying and the damaging effects it has on not just victims, but the whole culture of our community.
Students: If you have Yik Yak, please delete it. Choose to be part of the solution, rather than the problem. If a friend or another student tries to show you or tell you something cruel or unkind from Yik Yak, tell them you aren’t interested. You have the power to make Yik Yak, Ask.fm and other inappropriate social media apps unacceptable in our community.
Click here to read what the founders of Yik Yak are doing to combat the unfortunate negative viral affect their app has had in middle and high school communities.
Darlington’s IT department has already contacted Yik Yak to find out more about shutting off access here at school; however, education and conversations with your child are still critical. As soon as Yik Yak falls out of trend, there is sure to be another app that will pop up in its place. Let's all be sure we are educating ourselves and our students about the appropriate use of social media and the impact these types of apps can have on our peers.
If you have questions about digital citizenship, please contact Instructional Technology Coordinator Cynde Reneau. And as always, feel free to reach out to me if there is anything I can do to support your child in his or her educational journey at Darlington.
