The anonymity of Yik Yak has led to a plethora of newsworthy lapses in judgment. The latest resulted in an arrested of a Michigan State University student who posted a threatening message. The judge’s opinion was that these were the actions of a “… 19-year-old kid who just made an incredibly stupid mistake.” A mistake that cost him time served in jail, probation, and he was ordered to pay restitution to police agencies that responded. He is among at least a dozen college students across the country who since September have been charged with using Yik Yak to post threats, according to news reports.
Award winning professional baseball pitcher Curt Schilling commented on the wildly inappropriate remarks posted on Twitter about his daughter. He posted what they wrote, their names, what organizations they were (and are no longer) affiliated with. The lesson to learn from this is that your actions have consequences. Social media can be a great communications tool and fun activity but must be used responsibly.