We have seen similar apps come and go- where teens can anonymously make comments, criticisms and judgements about their peers behind the safety of their screen. Obviously, these apps usually lead to cyber bullying, and eventually phase out to give way for a new one. However, the newest app to reach the top of Apple’s App Store, ‘tbh’ seems to be different, but it is our job to make sure it stays that way.

In this app, users take polls about their friends and decide who “can make you laugh until you cry” or is “most likely to become a ninja.” If you get chosen for one of these polls, you get a gem, which then allows you to access more features. However what makes this app different, is that all of these polls are positive.

So with this app, it is virtually impossible to directly make a malicious comment about someone, however that does not mean that the app is completely harmless.While none of the polls themselves are directly offensive, there is still opportunity for harm to be done through the amount of gems someone can get, or a comment taken the wrong way.

This app is one of the first that actually makes it easy for us to be nice to each other online. While it is sad that kindness is such a foreign thing to some, it is a great opportunity to shift online communication and social media into something that can be beneficial for teens.

This app is a great start to positively changing the way we communicate with each other. However, the fact that everything is anonymous only contributes to the feeling of superiority people get when they can hide behind a screen. Is it truly that hard to compliment someone or tell someone they think “they are very kind” to their face?

Hopefully, this app indicates a positive change in social media as a whole, where people do not feel the need to harass and gossip about others online, because they know they cannot get caught. I very much agree with the different approach this app took, but it is up to the users to make this app a positive change. While it is great to hear that you “always know what to say and when to say it,” from someone anonymous, would it not mean more to hear it from someone face to face?