By Katherine Cross
Staff Writer
The application Yik Yak has an unresponsive administration that cannot properly handle perilous Yik Yak posts, so Mira Costa’s administration is justified in blocking the application on campus. Because Yik Yak can be fun when posts are well-meaning, and threats can still be made with or without it, Yik Yak should remain a downloadable app, but be used with caution.
On November 18 and 19, Costa was shut down by Costa administration due to a series of vague and possibly criminal threats and warnings via Yik Yak. Despite its suddenly developed negative connotation, humorous yaks that were being posted prior to the incident that even Principal Ben Dale found hilarious. When used properly, Yik Yak should clearly be recognized as an app where people can banter together or even give advice to one another.
According to Yik Yak’s website, the app has the ability to serve as an anonymous alert or consensus system. Yik Yak should not be seen as a threat and can in fact, be seen as something useful.
Regardless of Yik Yak’s positive aspects, according to Superintendent Michael Matthews, the anonymity of the app makes it into something destructive and can lead to forms of bullying and situations such as the one that Costa encountered. Additionally, anonymity can most definitely lead to issues, as seen in Drake University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Georgia and numerous other institutions where people have been arrested for making violent threats via Yik Yak. Yik Yak does pose a threat.
On the Yik Yak website, the Yik Yak team responds to claims such as Matthews’ by stating that they will cooperate with local authorities where there are threats or antagonizing posts posted through Yik Yak. Nonetheless, Dale stated that if it weren’t for influential South Bay people and police, Mira Costa still wouldn’t be in contact with Yik Yak. Yik Yak’s evident lack of responsibility should curb its likeability as a whole.
According to Dale, Yik Yak would be a better app if there was an immediate method of being able to identify the source of its posts. In order to do this, Yik Yak should make a database that all schools can access immediately. The database should be able to show the source of each post so that schools will not have to wait for Yik Yak to contact them if a school needs to identify the source of a post.
Another method of determining the source of posts is removing Yik Yak’s anonymity. However, Yik Yak’s anonymity leaves room for users to unbiasly agree or disagree with posts and it gives freedom for anyone to express their opinions. Removing its anonymity would only remove the unique quality that comes with the app when it is used in a proper manner.
Furthermore, if Yik Yak’s anonymity was eliminated, threats could still be made through illegitimate social media accounts or other outlets. If a threat was posted on large-scale social networks, such as Facebook, the network would be even harder to contact and determining the source would be a challenge.
Yik Yak’s administration should work to mitigate all of the negative sides to its own app. Until then, Costa made the righteous decision of blocking Yik Yak because of its indiscriminate, and disorganized state. Outside of school, Yik Yak is an amusing app, but it is certainly a risky one. Those who do not want to take the risk should not join social networks. Those who do wish to take the risk should be aware of the ramifications associated with threatening posts, especially as the consequences range from public scrutiny to being arrested.
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