Difference between revisions of "Ask.fm"

Revision as of 12:20, 3 April 2021

Ask.fm

Ask.fm Application Source Type Social Networking Launch Date Jun 16, 2010 Status Active Product Line Ask.fm Platform iOS, Android Website www.ask.fm

Ask.fm is a question and answer format social networking site founded in 2010 that allows users to ask questions anonymously. It was created in Riga, Latvia by brothers Ilja and Mark Terebin. They wanted to create a rival of Formspring, another Q and A style social networking site.^[1] Ownership changed in 2014, and again in 2016.^[2] Questions are only displayed publicly on a user's profile when they respond to them, and users can opt-out of answering questions.^[3] The platform has undergone changes with its branding and revenue model since its creation. Ask.fm has a reputation for its ethical concerns as it is a site where an abundance of cyberbullying has occurred, and the platform has been linked to the suicides of teens in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.^[4][3][1] It is a site where ISIS recruitment has taken place, and the company has been questioned for its dangerous marketing strategies. Ask.fm continues to commit itself to finding new ways to promote internet safety.^[5][6]

History

Ownership

lja and Mark Terebin founded Ask.fm in 2010. The site was bought by InterActiveCorp (IAC), the company that owns Ask.com, in 2014. IAC promised to improve safety measures and address bullying concerns. In 2016, IAC sold Ask.fm to the asset management firm Noosphere.^[2]

Headquarters

When Ask.fm was purchased by IAC in 2014, they moved the companies headquarters from Latvia to Dublin, Ireland. IAC determined that to help Ask.fm with their safety issues, they needed to have them in a location with pre-existing infrastructure and networks.^[7]

Branding and Interface

When first created in 2010, Ask.fm was a place to anonymously send questions. Ask.fm featured tabs to see questions submitted to the user and friends’ responses to questions.^[8]

New owners, IAC, promised to address safety concerns in 2014. They tightened policies, created a Safety Center, hired Catherine Teitelbaum as Chief Trust and Safety Officer, and created a Safety Advisory Board. They committed to removing users with multiple complaints and respond to complaints immediately. New measures also gave parents and adults the power to request an account be deleted.^[9][10]

Owlcat Mascot^[8]

A rebrand was done in 2016 to highlight the natural collective curiosity humans have as social beings. It emphasized the importance of learning about people’s thoughts and feelings to create better connections and discover more about oneself. A mascot named Owlcat, designed to emulate the wise nature of owls and curiosity of cats, was introduced. Other rebranding updates included more simple elements to allow users to emulate their personalities. They also included the ability to respond to questions with gifs from GIPHY.^[8]

In 2017, a discovery page was created for users to see the most liked posts in their area and people that use similar hashtags. Updates were also made that provided more customizable background options, hashtags for profiles, suggested friend connections, a “view more” button for long posts, and the ability for the user to indicate if they are online or offline.^[11]

Later in 2017, to address negative comments and the issue of self-bullying, Ask.fm implemented the emotion-distress management service, Koko. Self-bullying is a phenomenon where users send themselves hurtful messages anonymously. These are displayed on their page for followers to see. Koko finds this type of content and removes it. It then offers support to users affected by guiding them to help.^[12]

In 2018, Ask.fm worked with a UK charity, and added a Safety Center page on the website that includes material to educate students, teachers, and parents about online safety and specific Ask.fm safety features.^[13]

Later in 2018, Ask.fm released an Initial Coin Offering (ICO). They buried 50,000 ASKT, their cryptocurrency, at the peak of Mount Everest to promote the new cryptocurrency.^[6]

Askfm 2.0

Ask.fm CEO Max Tsaryk^[14]

In 2018, ASKfm created a new major project known as ASKfm 2.0. This idea was based around the implementation of a new blockchain based platform and the creation of a proprietary cryptocurrency known as ASK Token (ASKT). The initial launch of ASKT offered up one billion tokens, 50% of the total amount, to investors and users, and set the initial price of a token at $0.1 USD, with plans to then sell an additional $100 million USD of the crypto. ^[15] This change in the platform was done with the intent to breakaway from a largely advertising based revenue model and, instead, rely on payment directly from users as fees on these transactions. ^[16] CEO of ASKfm, Max Tsaryk, remarked on the release of ASKT and ASKfm 2.0 saying, “...blockchain technology can boost access to knowledge and how it is assessed through a tokenized social media community where people are incentivized to deliver thoughtful and in-demand responses.” ^[16]

ASKfm 2.0 was intended to be a separate platform from ASKfm, with users having the option to switch to the new platform and partake in the cryptocurrency based interactions. ^[17] The use of ASKfm tokens on the site includes the ability for users to offer bounty for answering certain questions. Another user would then be able to provide an answer, and after that answer is verified, they would be rewarded with the bounty tokens. An answer to a bounty question can be answered by multiple users, who would each then receive a portion of the reward. ^[18]

Use

Ask.fm Homepage^[19]

A user must create a free account to use Ask.fm. To sign up, users must provide their email and date of birth. They will not be allowed to sign up if they are younger than thirteen. Once an account is created, they can add a profile picture, write a bio, add hashtags to their profile, and declare if they are online or offline. To find friends, users can connect their various social media accounts. Ask.fm gives suggestions based on these accounts. At the top of the screen are six icons. The house icon is where the user can see their feed of questions and friends' questions. The question mark icon is where questions that the user has been asked show up. The person icon is the user's profile. The icon of two people is where the user can search for friends, hashtags, and connect their other social media accounts. The lightning bolt is where notifications show up, and the gear icon is where settings are.

The settings page allows the user to opt-out of receiving anonymous questions, lets the user decide if other users can share posts and subscribe to their account, and lets them indicate if they are online or offline. They can pick a gif that describes their mood. They can control notifications. They can also change their password, deactivate the account, view who they have blocked, and log out of their account.

When the user clicks a red plus sign icon button at the top right corner of the page, they can ask someone a question anonymously or openly, create a photo poll where people vote on their favorite of two photos or ask questions to people nearby with a shoutout.

Users

In 2013, Ask.fm had 60 million users in 150 countries and gained around 300,000 new users every day. About half of all users are under 18.^[20][21] They use the platform as a pastime and so they can feel a part of a community.^[3] They can engage in a virtual world without adults and feel free from the constraints of supervision. It is also a place where users can explore their identity. Users want to be accepted by peers, so they join their friends and neighbors on Ask.fm. The possibility of someone they have not met or wants to remain a secret asking them questions and engaging with them is exciting for users.^[21]

Ethical Concerns

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying on Ask.fm^[22]

Cyberbullying is a concern that has put Ask.fm at the center of attention. The anonymity of Ask.fm allows users to “hide behind a screen” and say anything they want without disclosing their identity.^[3] This lets people engage in heated arguments, harassment, and bullying.^[4] In its first years, Ask.fm had minimal safety controls, and users could not lock down their accounts. It was found that users on the platform have more issues with bullying and abuse than users of other social networking platforms. Ask.fm has more negativity than other sites.^[3]

Suicide

In twelve months spanning across 2012 and 2013, nine Ask.fm users died by suicide due to the harassment and bullying they received. All victims were between the ages of 12 and 17.^[22] Further bullying on the site did not stop after their deaths, and the founders of the site take no responsibility, placing the blame on society for the problems.^[4] British Prime Minister at the time, David Cameron, called for a boycott of Ask.fm and websites like it that allowed for unmonitored harassment. He pushed for those that created these sites to take responsibility and action on the issue.^[23]

Isis recruitment on Ask.fm^[24]

Isis Recruitment

Three teenage girls from Denver, Colorado joined Isis in 2014. They ran away from home and went to Syria to an Islamic State Camp. Thousands of Jihadist accounts on the platform would answer questions people had about joining them. Government and safety organizations struggled to combat the recruitment because of the casual nature and language of the conversations. There were not many references to violence, so words would not be flagged in filters.^[5]

Dangerous Marketing

Member of the Ask.fm Mount Everest team^[6]

As part of the launching of ASKfm 2.0, Ask.fm sponsored a publicity stunt in which four members of the cryptocurrency community sought to bury a physical crypto wallet containing 500,000 ASKT, worth $50,000 USD, on top of Mount Everest. On May 14th, 2018 the team of climbers successfully summited the mountain and left the wallet behind. On the trek down from the mountain, the climbers found themselves in worsening weather conditions. They left behind three of their Sherpa guides who had completed the summit with them. Two of the three Sherpas made it back to camp. One, Lam Babu Sherpa, was left behind on the mountain and never found; he is now presumed dead.^[6]

In the wake of the incident, Ask.fm initially ignored the death of the Sherpa. They reported solely on the success of the burying of the Ledger wallet, which was met with public criticism by calling Ask.fm disrespectful and dishonest.^[25] This posed questions about these types of marketing techniques and if they were worth it. Ask.fm CEO Max Tsaryk spoke of the incident in an interview with FinanceMagnates, stating that while it was regretful, it was no different than other publicity stunts carried out by companies like Google and Red Bull. ^[14]

Commitment to Internet Safety

Safety Philosophy

AskFM's safety philosophy is based around three pillars: Safety Equals Collaboration, Safety is Personal, and Anonymity Equals Responsibility. As a result of the vast majority of users being under the age of 18, they understand it is their responsibility to educate these users to make the platform a positive experience(insert ref).

Safety Equals Collaboration

AskFM states that "no single technology, platform or law can magically make an online experience 'safe'"(insert ref). For this reason, they are committed to searching for potential causes behind the safety issues that platforms such as AskFM endure. They state that the answer to questions such as "where does the bullying start?" are rooted in society as opposed to product design, and therefore, can only be answered by working together as a community(insert ref).

Safety is Personal

They work to create a customizable platform for all users to design their personal level of safety that they see fit.

Anonymity Equals Responsibility

Their Terms of Use policy reveals that AskFM holds users accountable for their anonymous posts, allowing them to take down and report posts they they see fit. AskFM also provides the tools available for users to report other users, holding each other liable for the creation of a positive environment.

Safer Internet Day

Safer Internet Day is an international event centered around raising awareness on current topics regarding the online community(https://www.saferinternetday.org/about). This event was started in 2004(https://www.saferinternetday.org/en-US/archive#:~:text=The%20first%20Safer%20Internet%20Day,brainchild%20of%20the%20SafeBorders%20project) and as of 2021, is celebrated in 170 countries worldwide(https://www.saferinternetday.org/about). In the United States, Safer Internet Day is hosted by ConnectSafely, a nonprofit based out of Silicon Valley, which focuses on educating society on the safety and privacy in the digital realm (https://www.connectsafely.org/about-us/). This year, the event occurred virtually on February 8th, with slogan "Together for a Better Internet"(https://www.saferinternetday.org/in-your-country), where lesson plans and home activities were provided to promote the use of connected technology safely. Prior to the global pandemic due to COVID-19, this event took place in two major cities designed for high school and families of young children, both of which are growing up in a time where technology is most prominent in daily life(https://saferinternetday.us/). In 2015, Ask.fm became an official sponsor of Safer Internet Day 2015: Actions and Activism Toward a Better Net and World. Catherine Teitelbaum, Chief Trust & Safety Officer as AskFM, spoke at the event about dealing with trolling and social cruelty(https://safety.ask.fm/ask-fm-celebrates-global-safer-internet-day-2015/). AskFM has continued to be a sponsor of Safer Internet Day over the last six years(https://www.saferinternetday.org/en/supporters).

StopBullying.US

Ask.fm created the website StopBullying.US in conjunction with its #nobullies social media campaign to bring attention to cyberbullying and inspire people to end bullying.^[26]

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Blake, J. (2015, February 9). Ask.fm owners 'considered shutting down' social network. BBC. https://www-bbc-co-uk.proxy.lib.umich.edu/news/newsbeat-31249209.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} BBC. (2016, July 4). Ask.fm changes hands once again. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36702766.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4} Farrugia, L., Lauri, M. A., Borg, J., & O’Neill, B. (2018). Have you asked for it? An exploratory study about maltese adolescents’ use of ask.fm. Journal of Adolescent Research, 34(6), 738–756. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743558418775365
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Dickey, J. (2014, June 26). Ask.fm Co-Founders Mark and Ilja Terebin Interview. Time. https://time.com/2923146/ask-fm-interview/.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Dewey, C. (2019, April 28). Inside the battle for Ask.fm, the site where Islamic State recruited three American teens. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/12/12/inside-the-battle-for-ask-fm-the-site-where-islamic-state-recruited-three-american-teens/.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3} Serrels, M. (2018, June 5). Man dies on Mount Everest during ASKfm cryptocurrency promotional stunt. CNET. https://www.cnet.com/news/man-dies-on-mount-everest-during-cryptocurrency-promotional-stunt/.
7. ↑ Ask.fm Relocates to Ireland. (2014, November 10). Entertainment Close-up. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A389431826/BIC?u=umuser&sid=BIC&xid=e7528359
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} ASKfm. (2016, January 14). "What's your spirit animal?". Medium. https://medium.com/@askfm/what-s-your-spirit-animal-25bce7e69c30.
9. ↑ Perez, S. (2014, August 14). IAC Agrees To Work With Regulators On Cyberbullying Protections Following Ask.fm Deal. TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2014/08/14/ask-com-agrees-to-work-with-regulators-on-cyberbullying-protections-following-ask-fm-acquisition/.
10. ↑ Ask.fm Creates Safety Advisory Board. Wireless News. (2015, January 20). https://bi-gale-com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/essentials/article/GALE%7CA398002967?u=umuser&sid=summon.
11. ↑ ASKfm. (2017, February 7). ASKfm Launched Discover Feed Feature. Medium. https://medium.com/@askfm/askfm-launched-discover-feed-feature-16f0e0585459.
12. ↑ ASKfm. (2018, January 23). ASKfm Teams Up with Koko to Tackle Self-Messaging Issues. Medium. https://medium.com/@askfm/askfm-teams-up-with-koko-to-tackle-self-messaging-issues-6408d742a95f.
13. ↑ Safety Center. Ask.fm Safety Center. (2018, January 31). https://safety.ask.fm/.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Exclusive: ASKfm Ceo Discusses Mount EVEREST Incident, media Coverage: FINANCE Magnates. (2018, June 01). Retrieved March 18, 2021, from https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/news/askfm-ceo-discusses-mount-everest-incident-media-coverage/
15. ↑ Askfm 2.0: Creating a Self-Sustainable economy of knowledge. (2018, May 10). Retrieved March 18, 2021, from https://www.newsbtc.com/sponsored/askfm-2-0-creating-self-sustainable-knowledge-economy/
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1} ASK.fm tokenizes Q&A. (2018, May 21). Retrieved March 18, 2021, from https://bitcoinmagazine.com/press-releases/askfm-tokenizes-q
17. ↑ FinSMEs. (2018, May 9). ASKfm, the Largest Q&a social network, to launch its ico. Retrieved March 18, 2021, from https://www.finsmes.com/2018/05/askfm-the-largest-qa-social-network-to-launch-its-ico.html
18. ↑ Johnson, Z. (2019, October 22). How to become a better entrepreneur with askfm 2.0 q&a community. Retrieved March 18, 2021, from https://ceoworld.biz/2018/06/19/how-to-become-a-better-entrepreneur-with-askfm-2-0-qa-community/
19. ↑ ASKfm. (n.d.). https://ask.fm/account/wall.
20. ↑ Abad-Santos, A. (2013, October 29). Ask.fm Is the New Way for Teens to Cyberbully Each Other to Death. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/08/twitter-bullying-over-ask-new-way-people-be-awful/312421/.
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1} Guardian News and Media. (2013, August 6). Ask.fm: is there a way to make it safe? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/aug/06/askfm-way-to-make-it-safe.
22. ↑ ^{22.0 22.1} Edwards, J. (2013, September 16). Users On This Web Site Have Successfully Driven Nine Teenagers To Kill Themselves. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/askfm-and-teen-suicides-2013-9.
23. ↑ Guardian News and Media. (2013, August 8). Cyberbullying websites should be boycotted, says Cameron. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/aug/08/cyberbullying-websites-boycotted-david-cameron.
24. ↑ These personal details are part of a Q&A with an ISIS recruiter on Ask.fm. ISIS recruiting tactics: Apple pie and video games. CNNMoney. https://money.cnn.com/2014/09/30/technology/isis-recruiting/.
25. ↑ Medium. (2018, May 17). Retrieved March 18, 2021, from https://medium.com/@asqprotocol/placing-tokens-atop-mt-everest-to-kick-off-askfm-2-0-a-true-statement-of-ambition-bca7a9e099ff
26. ↑ Close-Up Media, Inc. (2015, February 9). Ask.fm Becomes Official Sponsor of Safer Internet Day 2015 Citation metadata. https://go-gale-com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/ps/i.do?p=BIC&u=umuser&id=GALE%7CA400748803&v=2.1&it=r&sid=summon.