Whisper is another app designed to allow people to post secrets anonymously on the internet. Unlike Secret, Whisper postings are completely anonymous and shared with everybody, not just friends, or those in your social circle. In this regard, Whisper acts more like a forum for confessions rather than a place to post comments about, or to your friends, anonymously.
Sharing deep, dark secrets anonymously can feel liberating, especially if it’s the kind of thing you wouldn’t share if people knew your identity. The app seems to be particularly popular with millenials in the 18-24 age range. Perhaps it’s because they’ve all grown up with digital communications and haven’t developed the necessary skills to interact with people face-to-face, or develop meaningful connections in this way.
Numerous articles are written about the appeal of anonymous internet communications and why they can also be damaging. When people are allowed to post anonymously it removes the accountability from the posting. Some of the anonymous posts end up being a form of cyber bullying, or contain abusive language or profanity. Due to the heavy traffic and usage of these apps the companies have a responsibility to monitor posts and ensure that participants are complying with terms of usage.
Also, since you’re required to create a login and password it means posted content is not really anonymous. A quick read through the privacy policy for Whisper, or any of these related apps, will explain exactly which information is being collected on every user and post. On some level this is for security reasons. In case a post contains something related to a crime the company may be required to report it to the proper authorities. But on other levels, it’s likely just to mine data and sell it to retailers for more targeted advertising. All of these anonymous secret-sharing apps are free, but that doesn’t mean they don’t come attached with a hidden cost and agenda.
And yet Whisper is gaining in popularity, along with other apps all promising the allure of anonymous posting. A quick read through any of the topics posted on the Whisper home page will attest to this. Some of them are hilarious and harmless, like this one about people who love bacon too much, while others are more poignant and thoughtful. The impact of these anonymous sharing apps has yet to be fully realized, but their inherent popularity is sure to influence something.
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