The latest online platform under fire  for facilitating cyberbullying is Yik Yak, an anonymous social media app. The forum allows users to see posts, called yaks, shared in a 1.5-mile radius — making it ideal for college campuses. Much like NYU Secrets, the app allows students to express their thoughts and receive feedback without being named.

The founders of the app “hoped to create a more democratic social media network” that would allow any student to have their opinions shared, regardless of the number of followers they have. Yet, like all anonymous forums, some users post negative comments about fellow students or professors that are then voted on by users. While this platform may make insensitive, tweet-length comments about professors seem palatable, Yik Yak is the latest bullying tool. This type of abuse will not be stopped until individuals come to realize that, while anonymous comments may not have consequences for them, they do significantly affect the people they are
directed toward.

Margaret Crouch, a professor at Eastern Michigan University, threatened to involve lawyers after she saw hurtful comments about her on Yik Yak, which made her feel as if she had been sexually harassed and verbally abused. While legal action is not a realistic solution, this type of inappropriate behavior must be curtailed. The Internet encourages verbal one-upmanship as users become increasingly more insulting while trying to be funny. The price paid for a democratic and unfiltered platform is that all thoughts — from the most intelligent to the obscenely vulgar — have the same visibility.

The abuse directed toward Crouch is neither caused by nor unique to Yik Yak. Attempting to ban these platforms amounts to censorship and is useless, as a new one will appear soon after. If the app should be banned because of the potential for abuse, cellphones should be illegal because they are sometimes used to plan crimes. Users are encouraged to report offensive yaks to moderators, but removal occurs only after the message is posted read. In a positive attempt to increase thoughtfulness among users, Yik Yak shows a warning before posting if a yak contains an offensive word.

When using these anonymous apps, it is important to remember that posts can have real-life implications that negatively affect people. That said, issues with rude messages should not be directed toward the medium. Users have a moral responsibility to downvote offensive yaks that bully other students or professors — once a yak is at negative five it is removed from the app. Like most Internet innovations, Yik Yak is a double-edged sword. Provided that users exercise good judgment and a certain degree of maturity, Yik Yak is an entertaining and creative way for students to foster community.

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, March 9 print edition. Email the Editorial Board at [email protected].