PrivacyAnonymous messaging apps grow in popularity
The recent surge in anonymous and ephemeral messaging apps like Backchat, Whipsper, Snapchat, Secret, and Ask.fm is a response to a growing demand for social media networks which allow users to interact without revealing their identify for fear of retribution or long-term stains on their personal records.
The recent surge in anonymous and ephemeral messaging apps like Backchat, Whipsper, Snapchat, Secret, and Ask.fm is a response to a growing demand for social media networks which allow users to interact without revealing their identify for fear of retribution or long-term stains on their personal records. Users of anonymous messaging apps, many of whom are teenagers, are after more online privacy and less accountability, something major social media networks, Facebook and Twitter, have failed to provide.
Educators, parents, and law enforcement are concerned that the move to anonymous apps will lead to an increase in cyberbullying, but supporters of anonymous apps consider the shift in social media networks as a way to more truthful interactions.
“Youth need a way to share material in a more natural way, like a voice conversation, and that they don’t have to worry about lingering around and being part of what’s now become curated life online,” said Amanda Lenhart, a senior researcher at the Pew Internet and American Life Project.
The Washington Post reports that some of the most popular anonymous apps are funded by Silicon Valley venture capitalists. Whisper, which allows users to post pictures and comments anonymously, is supported by a $21 million fund from Sequoia Capital. Secret, another anonymous network which connects users by relying on their phone’s contact list, was created by former employees of Google and Foursquare, to capitalize on the trend for a more unscripted social media profile.
“What we found was people on social networks were trying to put forth their best image of their great dinners, amazing beach vacations. But life isn’t always like that,” said Chrys Bader, a co-founder of Secret.
Anonymous messaging apps do attract abusive comments, but many of the apps allow users to flag harmful posts; some apps delete harmful posts and content once they have been flagged.
A 2011 Pew Internet and American Life study revealed that roughly 90 percent of teen users have witnessed “mean or cruel” actions aimed at peers online. Yet, many experts claim that serious online cruelty is rare. To prevent cyberbullying, some apps, like Whisper, do not allow minors, but the policy is not strictly enforced.
