By Shaku Selvakumar: Confessional apps are the next face of social media which take expression and news to the next level: Imagine you could say anything you wished and get away with it. Imagine you had no one to place any kind of censorship, social, work, or otherwise. With LinkedIn, there is a bonafide record of you. Much of what you place on the site can be easily cross-checked and referenced. You are also very aware of appropriate behaviour. What you like, what you comment on, what you write, or endorse appear on the newsfeed for all to see. With Facebook, it’s a little more relaxed. Your tone relaxes. You can be less informal and your social self is more evident. Your friends, where you go, how you party are all rich fodder for someone who is gathering social data and deciding how to market their wares to you. Moving on to Twitter, your tone changes once again and there is some scope for anonymity. While with LinkedIn and Facebook you have connections and friends, Twitter is for followers who may or may not be connected or friendly. With Twitter, there is more scope for curiosity, interest and volatility. As quickly as we jumped into the social bandwagon with multiple accounts on numerous channels, sharing everything from bands, books, clothes and relationships, there is an equal and opposite trend that has coexisted in parallel. Paying a privacy price: As more hackers easily infiltrate accounts, Pew Research has some alarming facts. At least 21 per cent of internet users have had an email or social networking account compromised or taken over by someone else without permission. About 13 per cent have experienced trouble in a relationship between them and a family member or a friend because of something the user posted online. About 12 per cent have been stalked or harassed online. About 11 per cent have had important personal information stolen such as their social security number, credit card, or bank account information. Also, about 6 per cent have been the victim of an online scam and lost money. About 6 per cent have had their reputation damaged because of something that happened online. And about 4 per cent have been led into physical danger because of something that happened online. Unsigned and anonymous: Anonymity has its benefits, whether to initiate a heated dialogue on a sporting event or to weigh in on a political stand or to jump into a religious debate. Initially it started with multiple email and social accounts that would allow folks to troll sites, leave comments, many times unprovoked and nasty. According to Pew Research, most internet users would like to be anonymous online at least occasionally, but many think it is not possible to be completely anonymous online. New findings in a national survey show that 86 per cent of internet users have taken steps online to remove or mask their digital footprints — ranging from clearing cookies to encrypting their email, from avoiding using their name to using virtual networks that mask their IP address. About 55 per cent of internet users have taken steps to avoid observation by specific people, organisations, or the government. The dark web or the hidden web has provided a forum for users who don’t wish to be observed. Sending encrypted messages and using secret chat platforms ensure that their identity is not invaded. Trading secrets made easy: As the line blurs between protecting identity, reckless social sharing and spurred by the quick hit of instant popularity, more social apps are cashing on the “confessional” trend. Forget all the intricate planning that goes into catfishing, with the advent of new apps like Secret, Whisper and YikYak, it looks like anyone can easily “out” someone. The new trend that takes a leaf out of our reality TV shows and gives us a starring role, can start a scandal anywhere. It could be your own secret, or not. Unsubstantiated rumours or malicious gossip. It could just be venting. But the next face of social clearly has moved beyond the tried and tested wall. Secret and Whisper can connect people anonymously to share information anonymously. While YikYak calls itself a local bulletin for your area that pushes you the latest information, it is used widely in colleges and has been blamed for being the source of much cyber bullying. Confessional apps are the next face of social media where the audience can take expression and news to the next level. The problem is that without any accountability or social responsibility, it can very easily degenerate into a spectator sport where each secret or whisper or yak has to be louder than the one before. (Shaku Selvakumar is a US-based marketing and digital communications expert; and founder of Coeuredge, a digital experience company) Source: mydigitalfc.com, Reference-Image: flickr.com
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