YikYak Faces Criminal Investigation After Terroristic Threats Were Made at UNL

YikYak, the once-popular social media app that allows users to engage in anonymous discourse with others within a 5-mile radius, has reemerged as an engaging pastime for students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The app, which peaked in popularity in the early 2010s before shutting down in 2017, went live again in August after a four-year stint of inactivity. YikYak’s popularity has surged in Lincoln in the months since, drawing hundreds of posts a day as users share short messages and seek “upvotes” from their peers.

At least a part of the app’s draw appears to be linked to its promised anonymity and constantly evolving discourse. On Friday afternoon, much of the conversation revolved around a rumor that a fraternity member won the recent Powerball jackpot, while one user confessed to using the prescription ADHD medication Adderall before a science test in a post that may or may not have been a joke.