‘A silly cesspool of people's emotions,’ better known as Chapman's YikYak

 Chapman students are gossiping about fraternities, COVID-19 screenings and the infamous compliment lady in Argyros Forum all thanks to the app YikYak. Photo illustration by DANIEL PEARSON, Photo Editor

Molly Mulligan, a junior screenwriting and sociology double major, describes herself as her own comedic audience, always giggling with her internal self. But there was one instance back in November when she wanted to share that humor with other people, at the risk of hearing crickets in response.

So she posted on YikYak, the ever-growing app where all posts – better known as "yaks" – are anonymous, and any secret or snide comment can be shared. 

With her fingers quickly typing, she was on the verge of hysterical laughter. She published her first post: "Dodge kid cums on your face. Call that shooting on location." 

Now, that may be vulgar on any other social media app, but this is content-gold on YikYak. Mulligan's "yak" received up to 120 up-votes (equivalent to a retweet) and was reposted on the Chapman YikYak Instagram account. Mulligan said the ability to share jokes and observances like this is, in a way, cathartic. 

"I've definitely used (the app) to complain about a silly inconvenience or something like that, and it disappears forever into the void,” Mulligan said. “It's definitely therapeutic."

YikYak began back in 2013, but after receiving criticism for inciting cyberbullying, it was shut down in 2017. Then all of a sudden, the app with its animated yak icon was back on the App Store in August. 

Users can post content less than 200 words and can view uploads from people in a five-mile radius — all while keeping their identities concealed. With YikYak now downloaded on to practically every Chapman student's phone these days, sophomore screenwriting major Nina Gee said the platform highlights the hilarity of people on campus. 

"It's like your friend is texting you about a really shitty sit-com that they are watching, and they are doing a really bad job of explaining it, but you are still getting the drama out of it," Gee said.

With some posts comparing the FIJI (Phi Gamma Delta) pledges to "The Boss Baby" or talking about the prehistoric nature of the MyChapman website, many of the posts on Chapman's YikYak have to deal with the new normal of being in-person during a pandemic. Whether it's jokes related to the COVID-19 clearance or the Argyros Forum compliment lady, Mulligan said the content is typically focused on pandemic-related topics. 

Molly Mulligan, a junior screenwriting and sociology double major, got a taste of virality when her post on YikYak received 120 up-votes. Photo courtesy of Molly Mulligan

“People are noticing specific things about school, and now that they are back after a year away, people want to talk about it and have these inside jokes about it," Mulligan said.

Similarly, Gee said the content shared on YikYak is something that connects the Chapman community together through humor, even if it focuses on talking about unique and taboo topics.  

"Most social media is focused on a wide range of thoughts from all over the place, but being able to share thoughts with other people in your area and having communal things to bond over has been kind of fun," Gee said. "It really feels like you are a part of a community when you can identify things and relate to other people."

Even though scrolling through YikYak may solve a problem of boredom, there is still the question as to what the consequences will be of reinstating a platform that opponents argue is a breeding ground for online harassment. Joking about Dodge kids may seem light-hearted at first, but such comments could, in turn, negatively influence how people perceive Chapman students.

"(YikYak) could affect how some people socialize, especially (with) that stuff that it says about frats," said Emma Golden, a junior communication studies major and fan of YikYak. "Only 1,000 people follow it (the Instagram page), but it could affect what people think about certain social groups or majors. I hope people take it with a grain of salt."

With a lot of backlash already on their record, YikYak makes it a priority to monitor inappropriate posts relating to hate speech, discrimination or other personal attacks. Even though the creators have updated their community guidelines, Mulligan said having an anonymous platform can always lead toward dangerous territory.

"(The app is) anonymous, so people can say whatever they want for better or for worse," Mulligan said. "It's a pretty simple app. In terms of technology fixes, I think it's pretty good, just as long as they stay on top of being able to flag hate speech or users being able to report stuff as offensive.”

Although the Chapman YikYak Instagram account has accumulated over 1,000 followers and the app itself is gaining users every day, Gee said the fad of YikYak is incomparable to other on-campus jokes and traditions. How could it compete with Undie Run or Pete the Panther?

"It gives people something to look forward to," Gee said. "Sometimes you will see something on YikYak and be like, 'Oh, I'm going to look for that the next time I'm on campus.' You are able to be an active part of the community, even through this small app."