Sam Garrison, COM 250 Reporter & Candler Lowe, COM 303 Editor
Although the administration at Berry does not consistently monitor Yik Yak, when a problem occurs, the school works with Yik Yak to resolve the issues.
The app allows users to post anonymous comments, which can be viewed by anyone else using the app who is within a 1.5 mile radius.
The app, which is used on over 2,000 college campuses and is still growing in popularity, has become controversial after threats and other inappropriate material continue to be posted at multiple schools.
Even though there are those willing to work through the controversial media posted on Yik Yak, timing has proven to be an issue. According to dean of students Debbie Heida, during a previous investigation at Berry, it took about two weeks to track down the person who posted the offensive content.
“The company is very accommodating to law enforcement, though it requires court orders or search warrants to retrieve information,” Abrams said via email. “This is very labor intensive from the investigative standpoint and is a burden on the judicial process in obtaining this information.”
Sophomore Mac Stovall, a representative for Yik Yak on Berry’s campus, said that the Berry community does a great job at moderating itself and limiting inappropriate material. Yik Yak allows posts to be deleted if the post receives five down votes. Posts can also be “flagged” if someone feels that a post is inappropriate.
“If it gets two or three flags from people in the span of five minutes, then it will go down immediately,” Stovall said.
Heida said that she is mindful of the use of Yik Yak on campus, but does not monitor the app. When students are concerned about what is on Yik Yak, they tend to come forward, she said.
“When I’m aware of it is when one of the SGA officers or a head resident or somebody else says ‘I’m really concerned that this is being expressed,’” Heida said.
Director of e-communication services Cameron Jordan said that Berry’s public relations and marketing department monitors Yik Yak and other social media sites to watch Berry’s brand representation.
“As far as what’s being done to protect the safety of students, that would probably fall more under Dean Heida’s area, because I know that they also monitor Yik Yak and keep up with it,” Jordan said.
Even though Berry’s website states that the Berry College Police Department is in charge of “providing life safety and property protection,” they do not monitor the use of Yik Yak, despite Yik Yak posts containing serious threats at other schools.
“I can’t speak for all of Berry College, but our department does not monitor the site,” Abrams said.
However, Yik Yak works with campus officials during investigations of content posted on the app, but the timeframe for receiving information has proven to be an issue at Berry.
Posts on Yik Yak that threaten student’s safety will continue to happen across the country. Users hold the responsibility to decide how this application will affect communities.