Anonymous question apps offer this space. It is important for young people to have online spaces where they can express themselves away from the eyes of adults.
And research has shown that online anonymity improves self-disclosure and honesty. We also know that they manage the online disclosure of their identities and private lives through a technique sociologists call “audience segregation” or “code-switching.” This means they are likely to present themselves differently to their parents online than they do to their peers.ĭigital cultures have long used online anonymity to separate real-world identities from online individuals, both for privacy reasons and in response to online surveillance. These networks connect them with their peers, support their journey of identity formation, and provide them with space for experimentation, creativity, and bonding. Why are they so popular? We know teens are attracted to social platforms. Here’s my take on why anonymous question apps have once again taken the internet by storm and what impact they could be having. As a sociologist of technology, I have studied human-technology encounters in contested environments.
These platforms have a problematic history. Early examples include ASKfm, which launched in 2010, and, which launched in 2009 (as “Fromspring”). These apps can be linked to users’ Instagram and Snapchat accounts, allowing them to post questions and receive anonymous replies from followers.Īlthough they’re trending at the moment, it’s not the first time we’ve seen them. According to recent reports, the latter has been installed 15 million times worldwide. We’ve seen this recently with the resurgence of anonymous question apps aimed at young people, including Sendit and NGL (which stands for “not gonna lie”). Have you ever revealed a secret about yourself to a stranger on the internet? Did you feel a certain freedom, precisely because the context was taken out of your everyday life? Personal disclosure and anonymity have long been a powerful mix that pervades our online interactions.
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