Yik Yak Posting Causes Shooting Scare at Ala. School
MOBILE, Ala. – Administrators at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School had to perform damage control procedures Wednesday after someone posted a warning of a shooting on campus on a smartphone app that allows users to post anonymously.
Yik Yak allows users to send anonymous messages from their phones to other users. The social media app only reveals the geographic location of the source without any other identifying information.
School officials sent out notices to parents stating that school security had been increased on the campus. Additionally, local authorities are investigating who sent the false threat, The Daily Caller reports.
The same app prompted officials at UMS-Wright Preparatory School to restrict the use of smartphones in class, as it has led to cyberbullying and other disturbing incidents, AL.com reports.
UMS plans to implement a firewall against Yik Yak. The school will lift the ban on smartphone usage during school hours after the site is blocked.
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