By Jenny Webb, MA
What’s easier: giving feedback to someone face to face, or giving feedback anonymously?
In my job as an editor, I’m sometimes asked to review manuscripts and give my honest opinion about them. It’s always easier when I don’t know anything about who wrote it, and when I know they won’t be able to trace the feedback to me personally. The work of critical evaluation is tough enough without having to worry about offending someone I know!
But as a parent, the opposite is true: if I’m helping my child learn about themselves and reach their potential, that process works best when I carefully consider my child’s individual strength’s and weaknesses and tailor my parenting the best I can to meet their needs through encouragement and love.
Anonymous, critical feedback is useful in specific circumstances, but I cannot think of a single instance in which such an environment would be developmentally appropriate for a child or teenager. That is why I consider Sarahah, a recent app, to not only be inappropriate, but potentially dangerous for children and teens.
Understanding Sarahah
Sarahah is a new anonymous messaging app that has quickly become very popular in the US, especially among teens. It is one of the most downloaded free apps in both Apple’s US App Store and the Google Play store. The app began as a website initially meant to be used by employees to provide honest feedback without fear of repercussions. Developer Zain al-Abidin Tawfiq produced an English version of the app midway through 2017, and it took off.
“Sarahah” is an Arabic word that means “frankness” or “honesty,” and it’s clear that within certain contexts honest, anonymous feedback has a place. But Sarahah’s popularity with teens is particularly troublesome due to the app’s potential for anonymous bullying.
Imagine yourself at the age of 14 with a license to say whatever you wanted to someone without them being able to respond (the app does not permit responses) or find out who you are. Yikes. I wasn’t a bully as a teenager, but even so, I don’t think I would have always made the best choices in that scenario, especially if I was upset with someone. Teenage impulsivity + anonymity are a recipe for serious consequences, including intense bullying with the potential to escalate quickly.
Sarahah + Snapchat
In July 2017, Snapchat released the ability to include links to other websites inside snaps. Teens quickly integrated their Sarahah accounts with their Snapchat social networks, and suddenly their snaps became open invitations for people to send them anonymous messages on Sarahah.
The concerns about cyberbullying through Sarahah are real, and the developer is taking steps to potentially address them. But such adjustments take time. The app’s rapid growth in popularity means that, at least right now, it should be on every parent’s radar.
Check in with your child. Know what apps they’re using. And if they include Sarahah, make some time for an honest, face-to-face talk.
Want to know what other apps every parent should be aware of? Check out this for more helpful information.
Jenny Webb is an editor and publications production specialist living in Woodinville, Washington with her husband, Nick, and their two children.
