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Hub AI
Yik Yak AI simulator
(@Yik Yak_simulator)
Hub AI
Yik Yak AI simulator
(@Yik Yak_simulator)
Yik Yak
Yik Yak is a pseudonymous social media smartphone application that initially launched in 2013 and relaunched in 2021. The app, which is available for iOS and (formerly) Android, allows college students to create and view discussion threads within a 5-mile (8.0 km) radius (termed "Yaks" by the application). It is similar to other anonymous sharing apps such as Nearby, but differs from others such as Whisper in that it is intended for sharing primarily with those in proximity to the user.
Despite strong levels of growth in 2013 and 2014, following several bouts of heavy criticism in the media over the dissemination of racism, antisemitism, sexism and the facilitation of cyber-bullying, the service saw stagnation in the growth of its user base. In 2016 alone, user downloads fell 76% compared to 2015. Failing to maintain user engagement, Yik Yak announced on April 28, 2017, that the service would close in the coming week. For $1 million, Block, Inc. (formally Square, Inc.), purchased Yik Yak's intellectual property and hired several of its former employees. On August 15, 2021, Yik Yak announced via their official website that they were making a comeback, with the app available for download on iOS. In March 2023, Yik Yak was purchased by Sidechat, a competing pseudonymous platform.
The co-founders, Tyler Droll and Brooks Buffington, are both graduates from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. The two started collaborating when they were placed into the same class where they learned how to code iPhone apps. After graduating from Furman University, they decided to go full-time with their project. Droll dropped out of medical school just before it started and Buffington put his finance career on hold. The two released the app in November 2013, and twelve months later, Yik Yak was ranked as the ninth most downloaded social media app in the United States. Improvements on the Yik Yak app continued throughout 2015, including measures to ensure its sustainability. The last major change was the announcement on January 20, 2016, that a web version of the app was available. Attempts were made in 2015 to reduce its use for cyber-bullying, such as the new mandatory use of handles (later reverted to an optional feature) and removal of the "My Herd" feature (also was later reverted).
On April 24, 2017, in a Bloomberg article, Block, Inc. (formerly Square, Inc.) announced its intent to acquire the rights to Yik Yak and five members of its team for reportedly less than $3 million, later revealed to be closer to $1 million after final sale.
On April 28, 2017, Yik Yak announced it would be shutting down due to declining popularity, and the app ceased to function as of May 5, 2017.
In February 2021, an unnamed team purchased the rights to the YikYak brand from Block, Inc.
In May 2022, a student revealed that, after analyzing app data, he was able to gain access to precise locations of Yik Yak users. The accuracy was within 10 to 15 feet and, in combination with user IDs, could potentially be used to reveal users' identities.
In March 2023, Sidechat, a competing app, bought out Yik Yak, at an undisclosed price. Yik Yak was subsequently republished on the AppStore under a different developer name. At the same time, the app's Android version was removed from Google Play.
Yik Yak
Yik Yak is a pseudonymous social media smartphone application that initially launched in 2013 and relaunched in 2021. The app, which is available for iOS and (formerly) Android, allows college students to create and view discussion threads within a 5-mile (8.0 km) radius (termed "Yaks" by the application). It is similar to other anonymous sharing apps such as Nearby, but differs from others such as Whisper in that it is intended for sharing primarily with those in proximity to the user.
Despite strong levels of growth in 2013 and 2014, following several bouts of heavy criticism in the media over the dissemination of racism, antisemitism, sexism and the facilitation of cyber-bullying, the service saw stagnation in the growth of its user base. In 2016 alone, user downloads fell 76% compared to 2015. Failing to maintain user engagement, Yik Yak announced on April 28, 2017, that the service would close in the coming week. For $1 million, Block, Inc. (formally Square, Inc.), purchased Yik Yak's intellectual property and hired several of its former employees. On August 15, 2021, Yik Yak announced via their official website that they were making a comeback, with the app available for download on iOS. In March 2023, Yik Yak was purchased by Sidechat, a competing pseudonymous platform.
The co-founders, Tyler Droll and Brooks Buffington, are both graduates from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. The two started collaborating when they were placed into the same class where they learned how to code iPhone apps. After graduating from Furman University, they decided to go full-time with their project. Droll dropped out of medical school just before it started and Buffington put his finance career on hold. The two released the app in November 2013, and twelve months later, Yik Yak was ranked as the ninth most downloaded social media app in the United States. Improvements on the Yik Yak app continued throughout 2015, including measures to ensure its sustainability. The last major change was the announcement on January 20, 2016, that a web version of the app was available. Attempts were made in 2015 to reduce its use for cyber-bullying, such as the new mandatory use of handles (later reverted to an optional feature) and removal of the "My Herd" feature (also was later reverted).
On April 24, 2017, in a Bloomberg article, Block, Inc. (formerly Square, Inc.) announced its intent to acquire the rights to Yik Yak and five members of its team for reportedly less than $3 million, later revealed to be closer to $1 million after final sale.
On April 28, 2017, Yik Yak announced it would be shutting down due to declining popularity, and the app ceased to function as of May 5, 2017.
In February 2021, an unnamed team purchased the rights to the YikYak brand from Block, Inc.
In May 2022, a student revealed that, after analyzing app data, he was able to gain access to precise locations of Yik Yak users. The accuracy was within 10 to 15 feet and, in combination with user IDs, could potentially be used to reveal users' identities.
In March 2023, Sidechat, a competing app, bought out Yik Yak, at an undisclosed price. Yik Yak was subsequently republished on the AppStore under a different developer name. At the same time, the app's Android version was removed from Google Play.