Aug 13 2017 : The Times of India (Ahmedabad)
Anonymous messaging app goes viral, raises spectre of bullying
Ranjani Ayyar, Kim Arora & Aparna Desikan
TNN


The white envelopes sit against an aquamarine backdrop, inviting anonymous messages that range rom declarations of love to cri icisms that may not have been possible face to face. They are rom a new app called Sarahah, which has become the most downloaded free app on the iOS tore in the last two months.
In India, 7.2 million people have signed up for its web servi e though a count of app down oads was not available.

Those sending messages have found a safe outlet. Those receiving them have started posting and sharing screenshots of the anonymous critique or praise on their social media feeds. And the developer, an unassuming 29-year old planning analyst from Saudi Arabia, is stillwrapping his head around the rapid rise in the app's popularity .

Here is how it works. You sign up either on the website sarahah.com or download the app from the Apple or Android play store. You then get a shareable link to your inbox that you can pass around to friends ­ people have typically been using it on Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat, where people can send you direct messages anonymously . The sender knows the identity of the receiver, but the receiver will never know whom the message came from.

The app was launched as a web service in February this year. By June, it was on mobile app stores. Between July 12 and August 11 alone, Sarahah had more than 1.4 billion page views, over 11 million downloads on iOS and 9 million on Android.But opinion is sharply divided; equal numbers of users have rated the app at 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) on the Google Play Store with several users reporting cyberbullying and trolling.

Zain Al-Abidin Tawfiq, the developer of the app, says it was intended for selfimprovement through feedback. The word “Sarahah“ is Arabic for honesty or openness. Tawfiq initially piloted the app with the workplace in mind, as a way to get honest feedback from colleagues.

But the app has taken a life of its own. For some, it is a way to express political dissent anonymously .“Become a Hindu, you will look more beautiful,“ reads a Sarahah message shared on Facebook by Zainab Ahmed from Delhi. A large chunk of the comments for the 27-year-old are religion-based, probably because Ahmed regularly expresses her political views on social media sites.“While some of them have been quite critical, it makes me take a step back and analyse my behaviour. Also, it helped me realise that a lot of people who I thought hated me actually didn't! So, it did help me in letting go of a lot of negativity ,“ she says.

Some are having fun with it. Take the case of Kolkatabased techie-turned-director Amartya Bhattacharyya who shared a post saying: “This is your chance to directly throw your venom at me. I rarely remember appreciations, but whenever someone criticizes me, I never forget. So, if you want a place in my heart (or brain), do criticize