 |
| Advertisement |
New messaging app focused on privacy and trust has soared in
popularity since its release in June.
The Sarahah app, which lets users send one another anonymous
messages, has millions of users and has been at the top of Apple's App Store
for weeks in dozens of countries.
The social network is designed to let users send and receive
honest feedback and learn what people think about you. Sarahah, which means "honesty
or "candour" in Arabic, started life as a workplace feedback tool but
was expanded after teens started using it on Snapchat.
Here's everything you need to know
about the Sarahah app.
What is Sarahah for?
Sarahah was created by a developer from Saudi Arabia called
ZainAlabdin Tawfiq as a way for people to share honest thoughts anonymously
with their friends and contacts.
In the words of the app itself: "Sarahah helps you in
discovering your strengths and areas for improvement by receiving honest
feedback from your employees and your friends in a private manner."
The purpose of the app is apparently to help users at work
discover their areas of strength and those in need of improvement. Outside of
the office, it is meant to give friends a place to communicate honestly with
one another both their strengths and areas for improvement.
Unlike traditional social networks, users cannot interact
with one another directly. There is no reply mechanism, or indication of who a
message is from.
Since its launch two months ago it has reached number one in
Apple's App Store in 30 countries, including the UK.
How does it work?
Once downloaded, users need to set up an account on the
Sarahah app to start receiving messages. They can share their profile with
friends or on their other social media accounts so people can send them
anonymous messages. Users can also look up people they know if they have the
username in a search section of the app.
New messages appear in a feed on the app, which can be
favourited, forwarded or deleted. The sender isn't alerted about any of these
actions. Users can also block senders if they receive a message that is
offensive or makes them uncomfortable.
Sarahah doesn't let users reply to
messages or find out who sent them.
Will it lead to online
bullying?
Not everyone agrees with the mission of the app, and some user’s
say it will facilitate and encouraging bullying online. Critics on social media
have said the anonymity granted by Sarahah gives users "an excuse to bully
people" and that it will lead to abuse.
Tawfiq has denied claims Sarahah is a tool for abuse, saying
it is designed for "constructive feedback".
But the company recently added a tool that lets users block
messages from senders who may have sent offensive messages. When blocking a
contact, Sarahah won't reveal who sent the message but will make sure they are
not able to send any more.
0 comments: