Even if you've never heard of Yik Yak, you probably know someone who uses information technology. The app, which lets anyone postal service bearding messages visible only to others nearby, has a massive following in academy towns – enough to be valued between $300 to $400 meg by investors, despite not beingness monetized right now.

Meanwhile, college administrations across America have tried to ban the app without much success (though information technology is completely blocked at middle and high schools).

You might have heard all this and more, merely what does Yik Yak actually do? The best way to find out is to install the app, which runs on Android and iOS devices. If you'd rather not, hither's a quick rundown of how the app works.

It'south Local

When you open Yik Yak, yous'll see the almost contempo comments from people inside a ten mile radius with you. That'southward it.

There'southward no manner to filter the content by topic, or follow particular people: location is the only way that messages are sorted. Think of it as a digital bulletin lath to leave notes on, or – probably more than accurately – a digital bathroom door to scratch messages onto.

This is the main deviation between Yik Yak and other social networks. On Facebook you share things with "friends"; on Twitter, with "followers". There's no concept like this in Yik Yak – instead, everything you lot post is visible to anyone nearby. Your physical location determines your network.

Depending on where you live, yous might non see much – merely if you live nearly a university, yous'll probably meet a lot.

It's Anonymous

There'southward no registration for Yik Yak – you lot can't even choice a username if you want to. Everything you say on the network is anonymous, and all yous need to practice to join the conversation is install the app.

This ways people experience completely securing maxim pretty much annihilation. Sometimes people are cocky-cogitating in ways they probably wouldn't be without anonymity.

More ofttimes, though, people talk about poop (or being hungover). It's your standard mix of anonymous comments, really.

There's Voting

Users can vote local comments upwardly and downwardly, which is office of the reason people love posting: validation. There's ever been an appeal to scratching funny bulletin on the bathroom door, only what if you could find out how many people liked that message? This psychology of the upvote is no small part of what motivates people to leave notes on Yik Yak.

Letters that get a massive number of upvotes end upwards on the "Best All Time Yaks" page, a huge ego boost for those who can manage it. There's no public mode for you to prove this "yakarma" off, the network being anonymous, but the app itself does track your points for you.

It Can Exist Kind Of Funny

The voting arrangement means some people attempt hard to exist funny. Most don't succeed – the identify is full of lame one-lines.

Still, the humor is a big reason people bank check the app regularly.

It Tin can Be Informative, Sometimes

Occasionally Yik Yak can go from an agreeable diversion to really being useful. If in that location's something going on most you lot, from a traffic jam to a protest, there's a expert adventure someone is commenting about it on there.

(In that location's also a good chance you'll see comments almost dorm life, hangovers, and poop.)

It Tin can Be Gut-Wrenchingly Terrible

Unregulated anonymous comments practise have their downside. There have been all kinds of bomb and shooting threats made using the network, leading in many cases to arrests –posts are anonymous and so far every bit other users are concerned, but yous're never really anonymous online and the app's owners do cooperate with constabulary enforcement.

Information technology'due south non but threats: some anonymous commenters seem comfortable saying racist or otherwise terrible things.

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This isn't uncommon online, but the local aspect of Yik Yak means that horrible racist might exist someone you know – uncomfortable to say the least. A recent episode of Gimlet media's Answer All podcast shows what Yik Yak tin can be like at its worst, and information technology'south not pretty.

Information technology's Kind Of Cyberbullying Central

Christian, our security expert, feels the app breaches teens' privacy. He'due south not alone: the combination of bearding and local means people can post annihilation, about anyone, with no consequences.

And people take, using the app to spread all kinds of rumours. NBC called Yik Yak the new home of cyberbulling. It got so bad at high and middle schools beyond America that school boards tried to ban the app – without much success, until the app's makers stepped in.

It's Blocked At US Centre and Loftier Schools

Kids using Yik Yak for bullying obviously shocked the app'southward creators, so they did something nigh it.

The app no longer works if you're on the grounds of a U.s.a. high or middle schoolhouse. A database of schoolhouse locations across the state makes this possible.

You Tin can Look In On Other Places

Yous can only post and comment in your geographic area, but information technology'due south possible to run across what people are saying in other places. Just search for whatever university or city to starting time browsing.

If you're wondering what people are your old higher are talking about, this is a quick way to find out. Lori Rozsa of the New York Times, a mother, spied on life at her child's higher using this feature, another potential utilize.

It Will Be Replaced, Eventually

Speaking of moms looking at Yik Yak: part of the appeal of the app was its relative obscurity. It's bearding, sure, just it's also a identify for higher students to talk to each other without family showing up and ruining the political party.

If y'all're a parent, the fact that you're reading nigh Yik Yak now probably means college kids volition finish using it soon. The pattern with anonymous bulletin boards is that they die when too many people find out nearly them – sites similar JuicyCampus came before, and and apps similar Erodr are working hard to supersede Yik Yak as we speak. In that location's no doubt this cycle will continue, then don't be confused if you lot're hearing about some other bearding app entirely in a few months.

Exercise yous think Yik Yak's bad reputation is unfair? What are your favourite parts of the app? Leave your comments below if I've been unfair, information technology's possible I'thousand just condign sometime.