Parents' Guide to Yik Yak

Parents need to know that Yik Yak is a free, local social networking platform that lets users post "anything and everything" anonymously, including lots of explicit content that's clearly not for kids (for example, "Do you ever just need to get f---ed hard?" and "Who else is horny af right now?"). According to the terms of service, users must be at least 17, although there's no age verification on the app itself. Though it was previously removed from the app store because of safety concerns, it was reinstated in 2021. Users post brief, Twitter-like comments and photos; the app uses GPS to identify where users are each time they post messages (called "yaks") and then shares them to other users nearby. Any users within five miles are your "herd," and unless your location is toggled off for each post, it can be seen by others. People read and "upvote" or "downvote" other people's posts to rate them. Message content can range from simple questions ("Where are all the spring breakers?"), personal opinions, and local information to negative messages aimed at specific people, sexually explicit messages, and posts about seeking or using drugs and alcohol. A section about mental health resources advises users that if they see bullying, they should downvote the post because posts that receive -5 upvotes will be removed. Of course, that could also mean that, if a teen is targeted, their posts may be removed because others purposely downvote their posts. A "Community Guardrails" section indicates that bullying, porn, and the like aren't allowed, and that reporting those posts are the way to get them removed. That section also states that users can only post in English, which excludes many users from posting. Read the developer's privacy policy for details on how your (or your kids') information is collected, used, and shared and any choices you may have in the matter, and note that privacy policies and terms of service frequently change.