The Yak is Back: Season II

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I will be the first to admit—I love YikYak. I shamelessly boast over 2,000 “Yakarma.” One may call it pathetic, but I wear it like a badge of honor. Some days, the posts are so good that I find myself refreshing the app to read about the next campus saga. Whenever something slightly controversial occurs on campus, I rush to the app to read the student debriefs and chime in with my thoughts.

YikYak has played a role in Connecticut College student culture since at least the Fall of 2021. For those unfamiliar with the app, YikYak is a social networking platform that allows users to connect with individuals within a five-mile radius. For Conn students, this region includes members of the student body, the Coast Guard Academy, and other individuals in the greater New London area. Although the app hosts all individuals within this radius, the demographic primarily consists of Conn students. On the app, individuals can post to their feed, to which others in the area can upvote, downvote, or comment on posts. With a new school year upon us, there is a new generation of Yakkers, and a new series of topics students would like to discuss. Some hot-button issues currently discussed on campus include the highs and lows of Harris food, the lack of adequate campus housing, and the school’s new COVID protocols, including the masking surveys. With that, YikYak can serve many purposes in the college community. The platform has allowed individuals who otherwise may not be vocal to have a way to express themselves about campus and community happenings without feeling labeled by others. As a returning student, I have a decent foothold on how to navigate Conn. However, with the large body of new students, including first years and transfer students, over a quarter of the student body does not have as strong of knowledge of niche Conn details. YikYak offers an anonymous outlet for people to ask questions by connecting with a large body of people on campus without the concern of in-person judgment. Of course, these interactions are not exempt from “your mom” remarks, but more often than not, students look out for each other and answer questions to make the experiences for one more positive.

YikYak offers more than just a question and answer-based method of communication, however. It also allows individuals to employ a sort of rant-based therapy without the need for upfront confrontation. Although this is not an empirically founded statement, I find that people often use YikYak as a form of decompression. There is something therapeutic in ranting about whatever peeving situation comes about in life. I sometimes find myself going to the app when I want to get some irritation off my chest, and often, it is a validating experience to read that other people share the same frustrations as you.

At times, the college classroom can be a very monolithic body of political viewpoints, culture, etc. YikYak boasts that the app allows individuals to “jump into conversations without societal labels.” From this standpoint, YikYak has the potential to equalize individuals on campus and give everyone a voice and platform. To an extent, this is true. One of the most alluring aspects of YikYak is the ability for students to connect and converse about their experiences and perspectives on campus. Sharing opinions as yourself can be a daunting endeavor; however, the anonymity of YikYak can give individuals the confidence to share their beliefs and experiences. The anonymity YikYak provides its users offers an environment to voice opinions and potentially find allies on campus that align with your beliefs and experiences.

However, along with the sense of unity and confidence YikYak fosters, the app opens a gateway for bullying and harassment. Just as the app allows students to spread positivity or build community, the platform just as easily hosts opportunities to put others “on blast.” The app has community guidelines that block curse words and other profanities, but it is relatively easy to work around these guardrails. Thus, the app commonly hosts hate speech, sexualization of individuals on campus, and a myriad of other issues. These cases make the use of YikYak controversial, particularly in the eyes of staff and faculty on campus. Although many choose to acknowledge it, college employees are not oblivious to the app’s existence. The recent bomb threat incident on campus exemplifies this point. On September 6, Mary Savage, Director of Campus Safety, sent a safety bulletin to the college community regarding a YikYak post about a potential bomb threat on campus. Although most did not think much of the Yak, it prompted a response from the New London Police Department and the FBI, who found and interviewed the student about the post. Ultimately, this experience exemplifies the power that posts can have on YikYak and that even an “anonymous” app does not grant anonymity. Even though the app claims users are anonymous (which is essentially true), there is a limit to how truly anonymous you are on the internet. The app seemingly offers users a false sense of security. However, there is a stark difference between posting anonymous positivity and questions compared to anonymous harassment. You cannot be completely anonymous on the internet, especially when the content you put forth has the potential to harm others.

With all of these factors in mind, it is crucial to note that there is no one way to view the role of YikYak. Although the app offers an easy and low-stakes way for students to connect, it also enables a platform for harassment and offensive commentary. Ultimately, the choice is yours as to whether to engage with the platform. There is no right or wrong decision; however, those like myself who choose to Yak are encouraged to do so responsibly.