Sarahah app could be weapon for cyber bullies

(FOX 11) - There's a new anonymous messaging app that is soaring in popularity with teens but it's also raising concerns about cyberbullying.

It's called Sarahah and when 16-year old Michael Rodriguez heard about the new app, he had to try it.

"You can leave an anonymous message and no one knows about it."

Started in Saudi Arabia, which now has more than 200 million users, allows people to anonymously send and receive messages on social media post. Once a message is received, however, you cannot respond.

"What I like about it is people commenting nice stuff about me and giving me compliments and all that," said Rodriguez .

It started as an app for businesses to provide anonymous constructive workplace feedback but it's now made its way to the hands teenagers around the world.

"As the generation progresses and we are so connected we want to know what everyone thinks about us. It's a generation of likes." Tech Expert Jessica Naziri , of Techsesh.co, says this anonymous app is now more popular than YouTube but she's worried, "this is free reign for cyberbullying."

Candace Yoder, the Executive Director of the Mathew Silverman Memorial Foundation, a non profit aimed and preventing teen suicide, agrees.
She says social media has played a factor in suicide rates among teens being at an all time high.

"Kids have this unrealistic reality of what life should be and it's all based on likes
but when you start getting these negative comments. They take it very personal and it leads to mental health conditions and ultimately suicide.

She's afraid this new app will lead to hateful messages and cyberbullying. She has this advice for parents.

"Make sure that you are always a friend on every social media they have, you have to be in charge of your child's phone because they are deadly."

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