Cyber-bullying in forms of social media is not a new topic.

Many students may be familiar with catfishing (when someone pretends to be someone they are not using social media to create a false identity ) trolling (any internet behavior that is posted intentionally to provoke anger from other users) and twitter/internet thugs (people who hide behind their twitter account or computer screen in order to create a “thuggish” persona that’s tougher than they actually are.)

The overall similarity of these terms is anonymity. Currently a widely used app that offers such anonymity, Ask.fm, is the cause of uneasiness and is stirring controversy in many Eleanor Roosevelt High School students.

As stated on the Apple App Store, Ask.fm “lets you explore your friends’ personalities by asking them to answer smart, interesting and fun questions about themselves.”

When reading from a screen containing the description of this app, one may feel confused as to why a seemingly harmless application would evoke displeasure among students, but Ask.fm, like many social media platforms when placed in the wrong hands, can make something “fun” into something threatening. The only “twist” to Ask.fm is that all questions can be asked anonymously, which of course, would increase the extremity and chutzpah of these questions.

Some students, like freshman Sudeep Ahuja, said they think this can be dangerous.

“In Ask.fm, since it’s anonymous, many people can ask disturbing and inappropriate questions, causing several people to conceive it in a different manner, which can possibly include bullying,” Ahuja said.

Junior Elaina Perry said she feels similarly.  “It can be a dangerous place because it allows for extreme cyber bullying to be done anonymously. It can be used to push hurtful comments without the bully having to take responsibility for the effects of their words”

Another factor that plays into the infamous app is that when questions are answered, they are posted directly to the Twitter account of whoever answered the question, allowing essentially everyone in the world to see the question.

“The fact that it’s connected to other social media websites is pretty scary because what is posted can be easily shared and seen by anyone and everyone” said sophomore Morgan Ottley.

Sophomore Robin Lee stressed that “Ask.fm can be dangerous by users exploiting others’ information in which may be detrimental to one’s future.”

There have been many cases of bullying involved on the app, which have affected students here. Ahuja explained one such incident.

“One of my friends recently joined Ask.fm, but people would cyber-bully her and would say extremely inappropriate topics to her,” he said. ” She ended up deactivating her account.”

Junior Hope Opia claims the app can lead to hurt feelings.

She explained: “My ex-friend was once told with explicit details how her boyfriend was cheating on her .” And more directly, the school has recently had an outbreak of harassment involving Ask.fm, in the form of a senior confession page. The popular confession page on Twitter feeds rumors from Ask.fm and posts them directly to the account, and since all questions on Ask.fm can be asked anonymously, no one held back in asking these wildly inappropriate rumors. Junior MerryRose Howley stated “On the senior confession page, one student was said to be a pedophile, and another accused of being a meth addict. Brash statements like these can really affect someone’s life.”

Many said they feel the negative aspects of Ask.fm overshadow the positive, and many students are opposed to this app.  Ottley says “It’s consistently being used as a means to bully and harass people. Junior Vinai Rachakonda brought up privacy issues, saying “Ask.fm results in private information to be disclosed against better judgement.”

And senior Alim Kamara admits “Ask.fm may really hurt someone’s feelings due to their self-esteem.” He continued,  “I recommend that everyone stay away from Ask.fm.”