WINNIPEG — Imagine being able to virtually broadcast whatever message you want on a social network, without any repercussions. Yik Yak is an app that allows you to do just that, and it’s made its way to campuses in Winnipeg.
Users make posts called ‘Yaks’ that can be upvoted, downvoted or commented on by other users in a 2.5 kilometer radius. Some students say it’s pretty harmless, but others say that the anonymous component contributes more bad than good.
“Some of those comments are harmless, but some are really sexist, even the ones that were posted this morning,” said University of Winnipeg student president Rorie Mcleod Arnould.
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Yik Yak has mostly been used by college and university students but it’s starting to catch on at high schools, and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection said it opens up a door for cyber bullying.
“There’s a group-think mentality; I don’t want to be targeted so if someone else is being targeted they see demeaning comments going toward one student, there’s a tendency to jump on that momentum,” said Signy Arnason.
Miles Macdonell Collegiate hasn’t had any problems with the app, but they are keeping a close eye on it.
“We definitely wouldn’t ignore it if it was being used for bullying or posting mean things about other students,” said Filippo Zimarino, a teacher at the school.
If you do want to ban the app from areas such as a school, Yik Yak encourages users to contact them via their website.
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