Anonymous social media

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Anonymous social media is a subcategory of social media wherein the main social function is to share and interact around content and information anonymously on mobile and web-based platforms. [1] Another key aspect of anonymous social media is that content or information posted is not connected with particular online identities or profiles. [2]

Contents

Background

Appearing very early on the web as mostly anonymous-confession websites, this genre of social media has evolved into various types and formats of anonymous self-expression. [3] One of the earliest anonymous social media forums was 2channel, which was first introduced online on May 30, 1999, as a Japanese text board forum.

With the way digital content is consumed and created continuously changing, the trending shift from web to mobile applications is also affecting anonymous social media. [4] This can be seen as anonymous blogging, or various other format based content platforms such as nameless question and answer online platforms like Ask.fm introduced mobile versions of their services. The number of new networks joining the anonymous social sharing scene continues to grow rapidly.

Degrees of anonymity

Across different forms of anonymous social media there are varying degrees of anonymity. Some applications, such as Librex, require users to sign up for an account, even though their profile is not linked to their posts. While these applications remain anonymous, some of these sites can sync up with the user's contact list or location to develop a context within the social community and help personalize the user's experience, such as Yik Yak or Secret. [5] Other sites, such as 4chan and 2channel, allow for a purer form of anonymity as users are not required to create an account, and posts default to the username of "Anonymous". [6] While users can still be traced through their IP address, there are anonymizing services like I2P or various proxy server services that encrypt a user's identity online by running it through different routers. Secret users must provide a phone number or email when signing up for the service, and their information is encrypted into their posts. [7] Stylometry poses a risk to the anonymity or pseudonymity of social media users, who may be identifiable by writing style; in turn, they may use adversarial stylometry to resist such identification. [8]

Controversy

Apps such as Formspring, Ask, Sarahah, Whisper, and Secret have elicited discussion around the rising popularity of anonymity apps, including debate and anticipation about this social sharing class. [9] As more and more platforms join the league of anonymous social media, there is growing concern about the ethics and morals of anonymous social networking as cases of cyber-bullying, and personal defamation occurs. [10] [11] Formspring, also known as spring.me, and Ask.fm have both been associated with teen suicides as a result of cyberbullying on the sites. Formspring has been associated with at least three teen suicides [12] [13] [14] and Ask.fm with at least five. [15] [16]

For instance, the app Secret got shut down due to its escalated use of cyberbullying. [17] The app Yik Yak has also helped to contribute to more cyberbullying situations and, in turn, was blocked on some school networks. [18] Their privacy policy meant that users could not be identified without a subpoena, search warrant, or court order. [19] Another app called After School also sparked controversy for its app design that lets students post any anonymous content. Due to these multiple controversies, [20] the app has been removed from both Apple and Google app stores. As the number of people using these platforms multiplies, unintended uses of the apps have increased, urging popular networks to enact in-app warnings and prohibit the use for middle and high school students. [21] 70% of teens admit to making an effort to conceal their online behavior from their parents. [22] Even Snapchat has some relation to the health of children after using social media. This an app that is meant to be quick and simple but in many ways it can be overwhelming. A person can post something, and it be gone in seconds. Oftentimes, the post that was made was inappropriate and harmful to another person. It's a never-ending cycle. [23]

Some of these apps have also been criticized for causing chaos in American schools, such as lockdowns and evacuations. [24] In order to limit the havoc caused, anonymous apps are currently removing all abusive and harmful posts. [25] Apps such as Yik Yak, Secret, and Whisper are removing these posts by outsourcing the job of content supervision to oversea surveillance companies. These companies hire a team of individuals to inspect and remove any harmful or abusive posts. Furthermore, algorithms are also used to detect and remove any abusive posts the individuals may have missed. [26] Another method used by the anonymous app named Cloaq to reduce the number of harmful and abusive posts is to limit the number of users that can register during a certain period. Under this system, all contents are still available to the public, but only registered users can post. [27] Other websites such as YouTube have gone on to create new policies regarding anonymity. [28] YouTube now does not allow anonymous comments on videos. Users must have a Google account to like, dislike, comment or reply to comments on videos. [29] Once a sign-in user "likes" a video, it will be added to that user's 'Liked video playlist'. [30] YouTube changed their "Liked video playlist" policy in December 2019, allowing a signed-in user to keep their "Liked video playlist" private. [30]

Historically, these controversies and the rise of cyberbullying have been blamed on the anonymous aspect of many social media platforms, [31] but about half of US adult online harassment cases do not involve anonymity, [32] and researchers have found that if targeted harassment exists offline it will also be found online, because online harassment is a reflection of existing prejudices. [33] [34]

As platforms for anonymous discussion

Anonymous social media can be used for political discussion in countries where political opinions opposed to the government are normally suppressed, and allow persons of different genders to communicate freely in cultures where such communication is not generally accepted. [35] [36] In the United States, the 2016 presidential election led to an increase in the use of anonymous social media websites to express political stances. [37]

Moreover, anonymous social media can also provide authentic connection to complete anonymous communication. There have been cases where these anonymous platforms have saved individuals from life-threatening situation or spread news about a social cause. [24] Additionally, anonymous social websites also allow internet users to communicate while also safeguarding personal information from criminal actors and corporations that sell users' data. [36]

A study in 2017 on the content posted to 4chan's /pol/ board found that the majority of the content was unique, including 70% of the 1 million images included in the studied data set. [38]

Revenue generated by anonymous social media

Anonymous apps

Generating revenue from anonymous apps has been a discussion for investors. Since little information is collected about the users, it is difficult for anonymous apps to advertise to users. [25] However some apps, such as Whisper, have found a method to overcome this obstacle. They have developed a "keyword-based" approach, where advertisements are shown to users depending on certain words they type. [39] The app Yik Yak has been able to capitalize on the features they provide. [40] Anonymous apps such a Chrends take the approach of using anonymity to provide freedom of speech. [41] Telephony app Burner has regularly been a top grossing utilities app in the iOS and Android app stores using its phone number generation technology. [42] Despite the success of some anonymous apps, there are also apps, such as Secret, which have yet to find a way to generate revenue. [43] The idea of an anonymous app has also caused mixed opinions within investors. Some investors have invested a large sum of money because they see the potential revenue generated within these apps. Other investors have stayed away from investing these apps because they feel these apps bring more harm than good. [44]

Anonymous sites

There are several sources to generate revenue for anonymous social media sites. [45] One source of revenue is by implementing programs such as a premium membership or a gift-exchanging program. [46] Another source of revenue is by merchandising goods and specific usernames to users. [47] In addition, sites such as FMyLife, have implemented a policy where the anonymous site will receive 50% of profit from apps that makes money off it. [48]

In terms of advertisements, some anonymous sites have had troubles implementing or attracting them. There are several reasons for this problem. Anonymous sites, such as 4chan, have received few advertisement offers due to some of the contents it generates. [49] Other anonymous sites, such as Reddit, have been cautious in implementing them in order to maintain their user base. [46] Despite the lack of advertisements on certain anonymous sites, there are still anonymous sites, such as SocialNumber, that support the idea. [47]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anonymity</span> Situation in which a person is non-identifiable, unreachable, or untrackable

Anonymity describes situations where the acting person's identity is unknown. Some writers have argued that namelessness, though technically correct, does not capture what is more centrally at stake in contexts of anonymity. The important idea here is that a person be non-identifiable, unreachable, or untrackable. Anonymity is seen as a technique, or a way of realizing, a certain other values, such as privacy, or liberty. Over the past few years, anonymity tools used on the dark web by criminals and malicious users have drastically altered the ability of law enforcement to use conventional surveillance techniques.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Online community</span> Virtual community that exists online

An online community, also called an internet community or web community, is a community whose members interact with each other primarily via the Internet. Members of the community usually share common interests. For many, online communities may feel like home, consisting of a "family of invisible friends". Additionally, these "friends" can be connected through gaming communities and gaming companies. Those who wish to be a part of an online community usually have to become a member via a specific site and thereby gain access to specific content or links.

An anonymous post, is an entry on a textboard, anonymous bulletin board system, or other discussion forums like Internet forum, without a screen name or more commonly by using a non-identifiable pseudonym. Some online forums such as Slashdot do not allow such posts, requiring users to be registered either under their real name or utilizing a pseudonym. Others like JuicyCampus, AutoAdmit, 2channel, and other Futaba-based imageboards thrive on anonymity. Users of 4chan, in particular, interact in an anonymous and ephemeral environment that facilitates rapid generation of new trends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4chan</span> Anonymous imageboard website

4chan is an anonymous English-language imageboard website. Launched by Christopher "moot" Poole in October 2003, the site hosts boards dedicated to a wide variety of topics, from video games and television to literature, cooking, weapons, music, history, anime, fitness, politics, and sports, among others. Registration is not available, except for staff, and users typically post anonymously. As of 2022, 4chan receives more than 22 million unique monthly visitors, of whom approximately half are from the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Poole</span> American internet entrepreneur (born 1988)

Christopher Poole, also known online as moot, is an American Internet entrepreneur and developer. He founded the anonymous English-language imageboard 4chan in October 2003, when he was still a teenager; he served as the site's head administrator until January 2015. He also founded the online community Canvas, active from 2011 to 2014. Poole was hired by Google in 2016 to work on the Google+ social network and as a product manager. He left the company in 2021.

Canvas Networks was a website centered on sharing and remixing media, particularly images. The website was established by the founder of 4chan, Christopher Poole. It closed in 2014.

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means. It has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers and adolescents, due to young people's increased use of social media. Related issues include online harassment and trolling. In 2015, according to cyberbullying statistics from the i–Safe Foundation, over half of adolescents and teens had been bullied online, and about the same number had engaged in cyberbullying. Both the bully and the victim are negatively affected, and the intensity, duration, and frequency of bullying are three aspects that increase the negative effects on both of them.

ASKfm is a Latvian question and answer network launched in June 2010 as a competitor to Formspring. After registration, the user fills out their profile and can ask questions, reply on their profile, create photo polls. Also from 2021, app users can communicate anonymously or openly in public chats or tête-à-tête in private chats. The platform had 300 million registered users as of November 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Confessions page</span>

Confessions pages are pages on social networking websites, or stand alone website pages which are generally used at schools and universities for students to anonymously post their confessions and secrets to their respective communities. Confessions, statements acknowledging personal facts that someone would prefer to not be shared under their true identity, are sent to the administrators of the page through online form services such as SurveyMonkey and Google Forms or submission portals created with purpose-built tools. The administrators then decide which confessions to post on the page.

Spring.me was a social networking service. Until a rebranding in 2013, it was known as Formspring, a question-and-answer-based social network launched in 2009 by Ade Olonoh, the founder of online form builder Formstack.

Whisper is a proprietary mobile app available without charge. It is a form of anonymous social media, allowing users to post and share photo and video messages anonymously, although this claim has been challenged with privacy concerns over Whisper's handling of user data. The postings, called "whispers", consist of text superimposed over an image, and the background imagery is either automatically retrieved from Whisper's search engine or uploaded by the user. The app, launched in March 2012, is the main product of the media company WhisperText LLC, which was co-founded by CEO Michael Heyward, the son of the entertainment executive Andy Heyward, and Brad Brooks, who is the CEO of mobile messaging service TigerText. Since 2015, the service has sought to become more of a brand advertising platform, with promotional partnerships with Netflix, NBCUniversal, Disney, HBO, and MTV. According to TechCrunch, as of March 2017, Whisper has a total of 17 billion monthly pageviews on its mobile and desktop websites, social channels and publisher network, with 250 million monthly users across 187 countries. It is owned by MediaLab. In October 2022, Whisper was removed from the Apple App Store, and was added to the App Store again but was removed in 2023 again temporarily, but was recently restored to iOS in March of 2024. Whisper was again removed from the IOS App store and as off October 2024 is still not listed as an app. In September 2024 the app was removed from the Google Play Store and no longer works on Android devices. Whisper never made a statement about the removal of support for Android.

Secret was an iOS and Android app service that allowed people to share messages anonymously within their circle of friends, friends of friends, and publicly. It differs from other anonymous sharing apps such as PostSecret, Whisper, and Yik Yak in that it was intended for sharing primarily with friends, potentially making it more interesting and addictive for people reading the updates. It was founded by David Byttow, the former lead for Square Wallet, and Chrys Bader-Wechseler, a former Google product manager at Google+, Photovine and YouTube. Bader-Wechseler left the company in January 2015, with the stated reason that the company's shift away from beautiful design and towards more minimalistic design meant that he felt he was no longer the best person to be at the helm of the company. Byttow announced the shutdown of the app and the company on April 29, 2015.

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. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minds (social network)</span> Open-source social networking service

Minds is an open-source and distributed social network. Users can earn cryptocurrency for using Minds, and tokens can be used to boost their posts or crowdfund other users. Minds has been described as more privacy-focused than mainstream social media networks.

/pol/, short for Politically Incorrect, is an anonymous political discussion imageboard on 4chan. As of 2022, it is the most active board on the site. It has had a substantial impact on Internet culture. It has acted as a platform for far-right extremism; the board is notable for its widespread racist, white supremacist, antisemitic, Islamophobic, misogynist, and anti-LGBT content. /pol/ has been linked to various acts of real-world extremist violence. It has been described as one of the "[centers] of 4chan mobilization", a title also ascribed to /b/.

Ogle is a free smartphone based social media application. It is available for iOS and Android. Ogle acts like a school wide forum that lets users and users' classmates share and interact. Users can share photos, videos, questions, even thoughts and watch submissions grow in popularity as other users vote and comment on them.

This page is a timeline of social media. Major launches, milestones, and other major events are included.

tbh Defunct anonymous social media app in the United States

tbh was an anonymous social media app available in the United States, designed for high school students. The app was launched by Nikita Bier, Erik Hazzard, Kyle Zaragoza, and Nicolas Ducdodon in September 2017. Investors included Greylock Partners, Redpoint Ventures, Founders Fund, Semyon Dukach, Bee Partners, Dorm Room Fund, and American investor Wayne Chang.

/b/, also called random, is an anonymous imageboard on 4chan. It was the first board created during the establishment of the platform in 2003, and it then stood for "anime/random". While /b/ permits discussion and posting of any sort of content, the community etiquette is to self-limit discussion on /b/ of those topics that are specialties or the focus of other boards on 4chan. /b/ is one of the most popular imageboards on 4chan, next to /pol/. Due to its popularity and notoriety, it overshadows the website with a bad reputation. The Washington Post described /b/ as "an unfathomable grab-bag of the random, the gross and the downright bizarre".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gas (app)</span> Anonymous Social Media App oriented towards adolescents

Gas, formerly known as Melt as well as Crush, was an American anonymous social media app. Launched in August 2022, the app is oriented towards high schoolers. The app was developed by Nikita Bier, Isaiah Turner, and former Facebook engineer Dave Schatz.

References

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Bibliography

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