AN APP being used to anonymously bully people in Fermanagh has the potential cause a suicide here, a local councillor has warned.
‘Yik Yak’ allows users to post messages anonymously and has become widely in use in the county in recent weeks.
Mean comments directed at local young people have been a subject of the app – and Councillor Bernice Swift said that she was ‘repulsed’ at ‘anonymous, horrible, online bullying’.
Councillor Swift said that the comments have ‘the potential to cause enough stress, harm and anxiety which has in the recent past caused individuals to their own life’.
When a message is posted, other users are then able to up-vote (agree), or down-vote (disagree). If a message is down-voted enough times, then it is removed.
Councillor Swift went on: “While some of the threads can be quirky and fun I am totally shocked that quite a significant amount of other threads are so horribly inappropriate and totally defaming it appals me that people are cruel enough to vent as they please without considering the consequences of their hurtful words.
“If this wasn’t anonymous I just wonder how many would actually be happy with their name tagged to a defaming comment knowing the risks of the same.”
Councillor Swift concluded: “We have read enough very sad stories throughout Fermanagh about online bullying and other social media victimisation and the serious consequences caused to individual and families.
“It is time everyone took responsibility, people need to understand the difference between what is a good laugh and what is definitely offensive and abusive.”
One user, who was the target of defamatory comments, told the Fermanagh Herald that she was left ‘hurt’.
“Honestly before that happened I would have imagined it would be something I could shake off or ignore easily enough.
“But it bothered me more than I expected it to. Not only is it rubbish to have to wonder who wrote it but it’s also really really rubbish wondering who has seen it.
“The worst case scenario is someone seeing it who might believe it or begin to think it too, or even join in.”
The app only allows users to comment in your area. So while, for example, users in Lisnaskea can see what is being said in Enniskillen – they can’t comment on anywhere other than their ‘area’.
She went on: “Because its location based something can be put up about you on the Enniskillen strand.
“And if you’re in Lisnaskea, Tempo, Irvinestown or anywhere else you can see what is being said but you can’t do anything about it. You can’t down vote it, or you can’t defend yourself.”
“People shouldn’t need to see it in the paper to realise that bullying online hurts just as much (if not more) as in person and that the consequences can be very real. Young people are especially vulnerable as social media is such a huge part of our lives.
“It’s just people playing on other people’s fears and it’s very very nasty and low behaviour.”
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