Difference between revisions of "Whisper"
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| − | '''Whisper''' is an anonymous smartphone application that allows users to post and scroll through messages that are considered to be a secret by the poster. | + | '''Whisper''' is an anonymous smartphone application that allows users to post and scroll through messages that are considered to be a secret by the poster. Users write text and the application suggests a background for the post. Alternatively, you can set your own background. Users can scroll through popular posts, recent posts, or specific categories of posts and can “heart” them or reply to the poster. Whisper was created in March 2012 and has grown to over 20 million users. |
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==Users== | ==Users== | ||
| − | + | Growth of Whisper has been exponential. In May 2013, the app had about 2 million users and in the year of 2015 they claimed that they have doubled their number of active users. As of December 2015, the anonymous-messaging app has reached over 20 million monthly active users. [http://www.ibtimes.com/whisper-app-hits-20-million-monthly-users-doubles-over-six-months-2015-2221702]. Because of the anonymity of the app it is difficult to determine the exact demographic of the users but Whisper has found its key age group is 18-24. [http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/16/whisper-on-android/] | |
==Features== | ==Features== | ||
| + | Each user has a handle that is tied to them but they do have the opportunity to change it. After seeing a post, one can respond to a post publicly or privately. Whisper offers users to view posts by local location and in specific categories. When first opening the app, you can view by latest, most popular, nearby, or my school. | ||
===Categories=== | ===Categories=== | ||
| + | Whisper also offers its users to search for “whispers” based by category if they choose. These include Confessions, Personal, NSFW, Family, School, LGBTQ, Work, Animals, Tattoos and Piercings, Military, Food, Fashion, Faith, and Sports. Users do not have the option to post to a specific category but Whisper sorts them itself. | ||
===Location=== | ===Location=== | ||
| + | The location-based feature allows users to look at whispers nearby and at a specific school. There is an option to look closer or farther away under the nearby tab. Each post also shows the exact distance from where one is at the time of viewing. The other location-based tab is the ability to set the school that you are around. The user must submit a request saying that they are on campus and get approved before viewing these posts and posting themselves. | ||
==Purpose== | ==Purpose== | ||
| + | In general, Whisper is a social media application allowing users to share information and opinions. The main reason co-founders, Michael Heyward and Brad Brooks, created the application is because they felt that mainstream social media sites attempted to put people into one box too often. Rather than maintain a specific reputation, they believe people are more concerned with connecting to other people especially if they are struggling with similar issues. Whisper provides a platform to express concerns, joys, and fears without the opportunity of judgment. It is giving someone an out to keeping a secret and the chance to get something off their chest that they might not want to put on a public platform like Facebook. [http://allthingsd.com/20130905/why-should-you-care-about-whisper-the-secret-sharing-app-that-vcs-are-pouring-money-into/] It is giving people a community of support to share “secrets”. | ||
==Ethics== | ==Ethics== | ||
===Bullying=== | ===Bullying=== | ||
Revision as of 00:49, 23 February 2016
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Whisper is an anonymous smartphone application that allows users to post and scroll through messages that are considered to be a secret by the poster. Users write text and the application suggests a background for the post. Alternatively, you can set your own background. Users can scroll through popular posts, recent posts, or specific categories of posts and can “heart” them or reply to the poster. Whisper was created in March 2012 and has grown to over 20 million users.
Contents
Users
Growth of Whisper has been exponential. In May 2013, the app had about 2 million users and in the year of 2015 they claimed that they have doubled their number of active users. As of December 2015, the anonymous-messaging app has reached over 20 million monthly active users. [1]. Because of the anonymity of the app it is difficult to determine the exact demographic of the users but Whisper has found its key age group is 18-24. [2]
Features
Each user has a handle that is tied to them but they do have the opportunity to change it. After seeing a post, one can respond to a post publicly or privately. Whisper offers users to view posts by local location and in specific categories. When first opening the app, you can view by latest, most popular, nearby, or my school.
Categories
Whisper also offers its users to search for “whispers” based by category if they choose. These include Confessions, Personal, NSFW, Family, School, LGBTQ, Work, Animals, Tattoos and Piercings, Military, Food, Fashion, Faith, and Sports. Users do not have the option to post to a specific category but Whisper sorts them itself.
Location
The location-based feature allows users to look at whispers nearby and at a specific school. There is an option to look closer or farther away under the nearby tab. Each post also shows the exact distance from where one is at the time of viewing. The other location-based tab is the ability to set the school that you are around. The user must submit a request saying that they are on campus and get approved before viewing these posts and posting themselves.
Purpose
In general, Whisper is a social media application allowing users to share information and opinions. The main reason co-founders, Michael Heyward and Brad Brooks, created the application is because they felt that mainstream social media sites attempted to put people into one box too often. Rather than maintain a specific reputation, they believe people are more concerned with connecting to other people especially if they are struggling with similar issues. Whisper provides a platform to express concerns, joys, and fears without the opportunity of judgment. It is giving someone an out to keeping a secret and the chance to get something off their chest that they might not want to put on a public platform like Facebook. [3] It is giving people a community of support to share “secrets”.
