Not that long ago, Charlie Bit My Finger and cute kitten videos were pretty much the only things that went viral. Along with possibly a few chain emails threatening dire repercussions if you didn’t forward them to 20 unlucky people on your contact list during the following 24 hours. Though the variety of content that goes viral has greatly increased since the introduction of online social media, from memes to tweets, from conspiracy theories to apps, and everything in between. Sarahah is one such app that recently went popular and got people talking. According to sources, it’s on track to become one of the most downloaded apps ever. What exactly is Sarahah, and why is there such a buzz about it?
What is Sarahah and Why is it in the Headlines?
The Sarahah app was developed by Saudi Arabian Zain al-Abidin Tawfiq, who also founded Sarahah.com to enable staff members to anonymously communicate their honest opinions about their employer’s business without feeling constrained in any manner. Because Sarahah in Arabic denotes candour, honesty, or openness, he chose that name for his app. It wasn’t until much later that he had the bright idea to create an app that would essentially accomplish the same thing, but instead of catering to businesses, it would be used by individuals who could anonymously share their opinions about friends, family, and neighbours.
Thus, Sarahah, the anonymous messaging app that is currently making waves all over the world, was created. To tell the truth, though, Sarahah’s consumer-focused iteration didn’t begin as an app. Instead, it began as a distinct part on the Sarahah website, but it quickly became so popular that Tawfiq decided to release a mobile app. After being released in June of last year on both Android and iOS, the software quickly rose to the top of the charts on both systems. Sarahah is currently enjoying a comfortable top spot in the App Store in more than 30 different countries around the world, according to renowned app analysis company App Annie. Given that it has been downloaded from the Google Play Store anywhere between 5 million and 10 million times, it is likewise quite well-liked on Android smartphones.
How Does Sarahah Work and How To Receive Anonymous Feedback?
The main goal of the platform, according to a post on Sarahah’s official website, is to allow people to provide constructive criticism for their coworkers, friends, or acquaintances without having to worry about the consequences. You have the option as a user of seeing comments solely from Sarahah members or from everyone, regardless of whether they have registered with Sarahah. However, if it’s the former, you’ll have to actively select that option because, by default, you’ll get feedback from everyone. Additionally, users aren’t able to follow or befriend somebody specifically because this isn’t a true social networking software in the traditional meaning of the word. There is also no way to reply to any of the messages, though if a post on the official Sarahah website is any indication, the company is apparently seriously contemplating adding the Reply tool.
If you’re interested in receiving anonymous feedback, you may either go to the official Sarahah website and create an account, or you can visit the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store to download the app. You can email your profile link to your pals once you join up for the programme (or post it publicly if you want feedback from anyone and everyone). Anyone with access to your link after it has been uploaded will be able to anonymously publish their opinions about you. By sharing your profile link in your snaps, you may also connect your Snapchat account to the app.
Why is Sarahah so Controversial?
Sarahah, who has previously been mentioned earlier, has rapidly gained popularity, particularly among youngsters. Parents, social workers, and child psychiatrists are worried that this could serve as a haven for cyberbullying under the guise of total anonymity. Others are concerned that Sarahah is allowing people to express themselves in ways that they wouldn’t have in person, despite the platform’s creators’ assertions that it helps users identify their areas of strength and growth. And as we are all aware, the kinds of things that you can’t express to other people directly are typically quite unpleasant.
Given this, Sarahah has incredibly low ratings for such a widely used app. Numerous reviewers have complained of harassment and threats they have gotten as a result of using the app; it has a dismal 3.0 rating on the Play Store and a pitiful 2.3 rating in the App Store. One user even claimed that their 13-year-old sister had received a death threat using this app, directed towards their two-year-old brother. Keeran Williams, a different reviewer, cautioned parents. Kids are using this to bully other kids, she said. They believe they can say anything because there is no way to determine who they are. My 13-year-old daughter experienced a barrage of revolting harassment and sexual assault. I removed it off her phone. More security measures must be implemented by the Devs.
Having said that, it’s not as though no one anticipated this. What did you anticipate would happen if you allowed people to text other people anonymously? asked one reviewer on the App Store. taken as true. Because of how quickly events have developed, many people are comparing the app to websites like Ask.fmand. Both Formspring and Spring.me, at the height of their popularity earlier this decade, came under fire for failing to curtail widespread cyberbullying and harassment.
As is customary, there are usually two sides to every tale, thus many individuals have also supported Sarahah. Consider Ilona Jobson’s review on the Play Store, which emphasises that users have the option of signing up or not. People will say what they believe, and it may be unpleasant, she asserts, but it is your decision whether to sign up. Others, like Sarah Eleanor, simply enjoy the quirky, kind, and funny things others have said about them.
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Sarahah: The Latest Anonymous Messaging App
There’s little doubt that some horrifying cyber-bullying is occurring via Sarahah, but there’s just no way to know which of these reviewers are being truthful about their experiences and which ones are just trolls given how people act when they’re anonymous. Given this, it is generally best to keep children and frail adults away from this app as well as other ones of a similar nature that may expose them to abuse from unidentified sources.
Sarahah may be quite popular right now, but as time goes on, it will be interesting to see how it avoids some of the problems of other platforms that were previously very popular but have since shut down over claims that they actively encouraged harassment and cyberbullying. A prime example of this is an app called Secret, which became extremely popular in 2014. The app purportedly had over 15 million users at its peak of popularity and was valued at over $100 million. However, only a year and a half after its release, the app was removed from the Play Store and the App Store after becoming involved in several legal disputes over claims that it encouraged bullying.
Other anonymous messaging services, like PostSecret, Whisper, and Yik Yak, have also occasionally drawn criticism for failing to respect the privacy of their users or for failing to put an end to the persistent bullying, harassment, and threats that occur on their platforms. The other two remain available for download on Android and iOS, while Yik Yak shut down early this year due to its dwindling popularity and user base. It will be intriguing to watch if Sarahah follows in the footsteps of Yik Yak and Secret, or if it succeeds in proving its detractors wrong in the future.
