Busting Kids Via Yik Yak?

[hellonamesdan]

If you don't already know, there is this phone app called Yik Yak which is basically the latest craze for college students and has been for the past six months or so. Basically you're able to anonymously post things to the app which only people from your area can see, and anonymously comment back if you'd like plus either up vote or down vote each of the yaks and comments if you would like.
Supposedly, the University Police at my school has been using this app to bust kids who are under age drinking or smoking illegal substances, or selling drugs, or breaking up parties throughout the town when people post the address of the parties on the app (which they stupidly do very often, basically every weekend).
My question is, do you think this is a good idea? Do you think it's okay to do this?

 

[missbishi]

Nothing like this is truly anonymous and the cops have every right to check these boards. So it seems really stupid to post identifying information if you're going to partake in illegal activities. I bet the cops must be having a field day with this app!

 

[Patrick]

Those kids are silly if they think that the app is truly anonymous. If they are doing anything illegal and it can be seen from the app, I think the police should arrest them by all means.

 

[OMGnoWAY]

How do they know who it is? If the kids are in the dorm using the dorm internet they will all have the same IP address.

If these kids are posting their real names/room #s/addresses though then they deserve to be caught. That defeats the ENTIRE purpose of anonymity.

 

[pandabear1991]

It's just like Facebook. People pretty much snitch on themselves there, and then wonder why their probation officer is calling them into their office the next day for a random drug screen. I don't think there is anything wrong with this app being used to help focus on the drug issue, it's not like the app was ever private or created for only a select few anyways.

 

[Rainman]

Anonymity on the net is a myth. Each time you post something on the net your IP is recorded. Should the authorities want to track you down if you committed a serious offense then even if you use a VPN, they still can find you. So using an App to find kids who are breaking the law sounds great. But since it's out there now [how you aren't that anonymous when using the app] then I suppose cops will be making fewer arrests now.

 

[hellonamesdan]

I definitely think that it's anonymous to the rest of the students and stuff like that, but I'm not stupid enough to believe that the police can't get your name and coordinates and stuff like that from the app. It makes a lot of sense.