MHSD issues warning about Yik Yak

Baxter Bulletin

This screengrab of the Yik Yak app shows three of the conversation threads available Wednesday night to users in the Mountain Home area. The app allows users within a 5-mile radius to anonymously create and view discussion threads.

Mountain Home Public Schools is warning parents about a social media app and the potential disruptions it might cause to students.

The school district emailed parents Wednesday afternoon to caution them about students using Yik Yak, an iPhone app that allows users within a 5-mile radius to anonymously create and view discussion threads.

Yik Yak originally launched in 2013, but the service was discontinued in 2017 following negative publicity over the app's facilitation of cyber bullying. It was relaunched earlier this year after being purchased by mobile payment operator Square.

"Today — and throughout the week — our administration has been dealing with a variety of situations that have disrupted the learning environment," the district said Wednesday in its email to parents about the app.

A post made Wednesday on Yik Yak stated, "no one come to school tomorrow," and was later edited to read, "No one come to school tomorrow, because it's Veterans Day mom."

That post was reported to law enforcement and an investigation determined that the post was not a viable threat.

"As always, we will remain vigilant and do our best to stay aware of circumstances that could be threatening in nature," the district wrote in its email. "This would be a great opportunity to talk with your child about the appropriate uses of social media and the potential consequences of dangerous and hurtful content."

Chatter on the app late Wednesday night indicated that the number of posts for the Mountain Home area were down considerably compared to what it had been earlier. Thursday morning's posts included comments on Mountain Home Junior High students ruining the app, complaints about the district's wi-fi, and a wry observation that the plagiarism section of each classes' syllabus is identical, as if it had been copied-and-pasted into the document.

"The only reason no one is on here anymore is because they're scared to get in trouble since teachers and authority figures have the app now," one user commented Thursday morning.