If you still haven't heard of Sarahah, get on your social media stat. Going through your timelines, you must have come across a post from one of your friends, which talks about the good, bad or ugly things posted in a chat bubble. In case you wondered what it is all about, let us take you through a quick intro.
Sarahah, available for free on Android and iOS app stores, shot to fame with over five million downloads in just two months time. The mobile app is trending on mobile app stores for a good reason. Sarahah, which is 'frankly' or 'expressly' in Arabic, serves as a platform for exchanging messages. In case you're wondering what's so unique about it, Sarahah lets you do so by keeping your identity concealed.
This concept of sending messages to anyone using the app anonymously has been called into question, but it is rising in popularity as it lets users speak their hearts out. Sarahah app is said to "enhance your areas of strength, strengthen Areas for Improvement at your workplace" and also "improve your friendship by discovering your strengths and areas for improvement."
But how open are you to feedbacks and are you willing to take it in a constructive way, is the bigger question. The anonymity of the sender makes it difficult to trace any messages back to the sender. There is no option to reply to a message as well, so you cannot really probe your way into revealing the identity of the sender.
While it seems like a fool-proof way to say anything you want without having to put yourself in a situation where you have to deal with any responses, there are risks with Sarahah everyone is currently turning a blind eye to.
With a simple four-tab layout, Sarahah lets you share your thoughts about a person and convey it to them anonymously. But the app has a tab where new features are soon to be added in the next update. It is not clear what Sarahah plans to add there.
What if the next feature Sarahah developer is planning will allow users to reveal the identity of the sender. Another logical feature would be the option to reply, which can then be used by the recipient to conduct his or her investigation.
"You can't respond to messages now. We are studying this option," the app developers note.
But if you remember the setup, Sarahah takes your email address, which is concealed in the app. But it is the only piece of evidence that can link a message back to its sender. In any case, the developer of the app decides to share the user's identity, it will bring a chaos among its users, especially those who have been using the platform to bully or demean others.
Let's not rule out the possibility of hackers cracking the app's vault to steal users' identity, which can then be traded for ransom or sold on the dark web. Messages once sent on the app cannot be retrieved, and the only advice users can get at this point is to be kind and constructive even if the app is letting you stay anonymous for now.
Finally, let us point out some of the important terms and conditions, which most of us tend to ignore and accept before registering. Sarahah's T&C's include:
- Sarahah has the right to use the information input by users with agreement to the privacy policy.
- Sarahah has the right to e-mail users with what Sarahah sees adequate with the option to unsubscribe from notification e-mails.
- We have the right to modify terms and conditions if needed and whenever adequate.
And finally,
"All communicated content on the website is the responsibility of their owners and Sarahah is not responsible for its content or any damage that could result from this content or the use of any of the site's services."
But there's no reason to be alarmed. The app's popularity is based entirely on keeping its senders anonymous, and it would be a huge mistake to backtrack on that feature. If it's any consolation, the app's FAQs page assures users that "Sarahah won't disclose the identity of the logged-in senders to users except with their consent" and "Sarahah doesn't steal data but websites and apps impersonating Sarahah could do that."
