Yik Yak made its comeback announcement Tuesday on its new website. The company was bought out by new owners back in February, and their goal was to bring the app back to life, according to 9to5Mac. “We’re bringing Yik Yak back because we believe the global community deserves a place to be authentic, a place to be equal, and a place to connect with people nearby,” Yik Yak said. “Yik Yak is a radically private network connecting you with the people around you. No strings (or labels) attached.” Yik Yak is now available to download again on iOS devices, but it isn’t available on Android devices. And it’s already reached the No. 1 spot for the social networking app category on the App Store. The company said its new priority will be combating bullying and hate speech on its platform. The updated Community Guardrails prohibit users from posting bullying messages or using hate speech, making threats, or sharing anyone’s private information. Users who violate these policies even once will be immediately banned from Yik Yak. Yik Yak originally became popular in 2013 thanks to its anonymous messaging boards, especially on college campuses. Ultimately, the app shut down only four years later because anonymous posters became too involved with bullying, harassment, and even violent threats such as shootings. Several schools, including St. Louis University and Utica College, even banned Yik Yak on their campuses in an effort to prevent these problems. It seems that the new owners of Yik Yak are keenly aware of the app’s past issues and are addressing them right away. But only time will tell if the messaging app can be as popular as it once was, as well as a safer space for those who use it.
