We all know Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, but these aren’t the social media sites everyone is raving about right now. The hottest app in Ames is Yik Yak.

The basis of the app is similar to Twitter, but there is enough of a twist for it to differentiate itself. There is a continuously streaming feed of comments and posts that are all anonymous. One catch is that the feed is only from within your specific area, so in Ames our case.

Lastly, Yaks can get up- or down-voted, with the ups rising to the “Hot” section and the downs making their way off the app. Growing more and more popular on college campuses throughout the country, the cons of this app seem to outweigh the pros. It seems like cyber-bullying has become more prevalent than actual bullying. It is bad enough on the sites where one has a profile and his or her comments can be traced back. Now there is a channel where you can say whatever you want and the worst repercussions would be a few down-votes.

The idea of people being able to say whatever they want and the targets not being able to defend themselves is a pretty harsh reality in Yik Yak. In a recent article by Fox News, Dr. Keith Ablow, a psychiatrist and member of the Fox News Medical Team, deemed this app the “most dangerous app I’ve ever seen.” Ablow went on to say that, “It is no wonder that Yik Yak has become the ultimate tool for bullies, especially at the high school level, who want to target another student without any consequences whatsoever.” Although this app was originally tried in the middle and high school demographic, it was ultimately deemed too problematic for kids at that age.

The premise of an area-specific bulletin board via social media is a great concept; let’s hope people see that and can put the name calling aside.