Yik Yak, anonymous messaging app shut down four years ago, is back

Remember Yik Yak? The controversial anonymous messaging app is back.

On Monday, a tweet from the verified Twitter account for Yik Yak confirmed its return to the iPhone in the U.S., with availability in more countries and on more devices soon.

The anonymous messaging app allows users to connect with others within five miles of their location. Users just need a phone number to verify their account.

“Inside the app, your identity is a secret,” reads a description from its App Store page. “This makes it fun and easy to jump into conversations without societal labels!”

The app launched in 2013 as a way to connect college students, but keeping users anonymous opened the door for bullying and harassment.

Several schools banned the app, which would eventually lead to a plunge in popularity over time. The app shut down for good in 2017.

“Building Yik Yak—both the app you used and the company that powered it—was the greatest, hardest, most enjoyable, most stressful, and ultimately most rewarding experience we’ve ever had,” read a 2017 blog post from co-founders Tyler Droll and Brooks Buffington.

New unidentified owners acquired the rights to Yik Yak earlier this year. In a post Monday, Yik Yak said users who make threats or bully others could face an immediate ban.

“We’re committed to making Yik Yak a fun place free of bullying, threats, and all sort of negativity,” read the statement.

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