Yik Yak, the app known for its anonymous sharing on college campuses, is now taking a small step back from total anonymity.
The app is introducing handles, which allows the app's users to share messages and post comments using individual usernames. The feature, which is optional, marks the first time Yik Yak has given users the option of using a name or pseudonym.
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Yik Yak handles will work a lot like usernames on other social apps. Users must choose a unique handle, which they can then use when posting or replying to yaks. The feature is optional, and even those who choose a handle will still have the ability to post anonymously, though the app will use your handle by default.
Yik Yak cofounder Brooks Buffington says it was inspired by another feature, called reply icons, which the company introduced last year. This feature, which made it easier for people to follow conversations within a single thread of replies, doubled the amount of replies people posted within the app, according to Buffington.
Importantly, the addition of handles marks the first time the app is allowing people to post under their actual names, if they wish. While this seems like a big shift for the startup, which is known for its anonymity, Yik Yak CEO Tyler Droll says he expects the feature will help strengthen the app's communities.
"Yik Yak's always been about location first and anonymity second," Droll told Mashable. "And even with this introduction of handles, that doesn't change, we're just taking another step to allow users to form tighter relationships within their community."
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