Yik Yak, a mobile app where university students could post anonymous messages to other users nearby, has closed down following an announcement last Friday.
In a statement on Yik Yak’s official blog, co-founders Tyler Droll and Brooks Buffington said it like a good time to say goodbye to the app as the academic year comes to a close.
“Sometimes, we got things REALLY right, like with the Yak, the best mascot anyone could ask for and one who generated such love (and selfies) on any outing.
“And sometimes, of course, we didn’t get it right. But throughout it all, every up and down, the Yik Yak journey was something special. We were so lucky to have the most passionate users on the planet. It’s you who made this journey possible.
“The time has come, however, for our paths to part ways, as we’ve decided to make our next moves as a company,” they said.
The news of Yik Yak’s demise comes over a year after Lincoln SU voted to block access to the app on campus, with the Student Council saying it ’caused much distress to a number of University of Lincoln students’.
The social media app was also discussed at the NUS’ National Conference in Brighton last year, where delegates voted on a motion for the organisation to ‘open a dialog’ with Yik Yak to place ‘restrictions on anonymous accounts’ during elections.
The app is no longer available on Google Play or the App Store.