The Potential Harm of Anonymous Apps

Apps Fizz and Yik Yak. Photo courtesy of Sofia Arnaiz

Social media is on the rise, specifically with anonymous apps such as Fizz, Tea and Yik Yak. These apps have become popular and increasingly evident at Salisbury University, allowing students to comment or post anonymously.

Fizz was first brought to campus in 2024 when ambassadors from the app came and gave out free merchandise for students who downloaded the app. Since then, the apps use has grown. The app even allows students to join their campus community, where they can see what other students at SU post.

Yik Yak has the same structure as Fizz, but seems less popular since the Fizz at Salisbury University Instagram has twice as many followers as the Salisbury University Yik Yak.

The Tea app has become popular among students over the past couple of months, as it allows them to post pictures of other students and indicate whether that student has red or green flags. This app was a platform for women to comment on men, serving as a sort of warning about whether someone should pursue a relationship with them.

Students across campus have revealed mixed emotions about anonymous apps on campus. Outdoor Education and Leadership major Calisse Bloodsworth says she sees the harm in the apps but finds them helpful.

"Personally, I find the tea app helpful, and even if it's not necessarily being used for the proper reasons, I still find it helpful," Bloodsworth said. "I do think they have the potential to be harmful because of the anonymity of it all, but I think it really depends on the person and their intended use."

Other students see potential harm in the apps, specifically their anonymous nature. Conflict Analysis and Dispute Resolution major Belle Aponte speaks more about her opinions.

"I do think they have the potential to be harmful. That's the case for any type of social media." Aponte said.

Communication major Joey Nuse says that he also believes in the dangers of these apps.

"All three apps can potentially be dangerous or harmful because of the anonymity that each platform provides users with," Nuse said. "Being able to post anonymously makes people more comfortable/daring to post inappropriate or hurtful comments."

According to TechCrunch's Sarah Perez's article, "Apple confirms it pulled controversial dating apps Tea and TeaOnHer from the App Store." Apple removed the app from the App Store because Tea and TeaOnHer "failed to meet Apple’s requirements around content moderation and user privacy. The company also said it saw an excessive number of user complaints and negative reviews, which included complaints of minors’ personal information being posted in these apps."

Tea can now only be downloaded through the Google Play Store.

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By SOFIA ARNAIZ

Managing Editor