Yik Yak Bomb Threats Raise Concern About Anonymous Apps

From a business major at the University of Southern Mississippi to a 15-year-old high school student in New York, the last week has seen a number of incidents where statements made on the anonymous social media app Yik Yak have prompted police involvement.

Yik Yak has been controversial ever since its debut in November of last year. The app functions like an identity-free Twitter page where users can see musing and commentary from others in a 1.5-mile area. Originally touted as a “a city’s central plaza or a campus bulletin board” by its fraternity brother founders, Yik Yak has become increasingly popular among gossip-hungry students.