Yik Yak is actually one of the few apps I actually got into. I never really used snapchat, instagram, etc.

To me, the geographic approach is insanely interesting as a characteristic of online communities. It establishes a group identity in an anonymous setting, without resorting to interest as the primary focus. What I mean is that communities of interest abound online - communities that are based on specific topics, passions, etc. The digital medium encourages this - connecting those who would otherwise not be connected.

What makes Yik Yak so cool is that it establishes a community based on place rather than interest. Communities of place used to be very common - the neighborhood bar, the town's annual barbeque, groups that gathered because they co-existed, not because they were all interested in something. These places have somewhat disappeared in recent years. But Yik Yak, you sly devil, has brought them back with a digital twist.

The discussions of a community of place differ in that they are influenced by the environment and can influence it back. Maybe this sounds obvious, but many online communities (of interest) lack this direct, physical connection. It'd be odd to talk about the fact that the campus cafe is closed down on a lego users forum. And conversely, not all your 'physical' friends/neighbors might be into 80's horror movies (but I bet my ass there is an online community that is!). Obviously, both kinds provide different support for individuals.

But the fact that Yik Yak has created a popular place-based, digital community means that the advantages of the digital medium can be applied to our physical environment. And yes, this has brought internet trolls into our neighborhood, and yes "sucky people will suck", but there is a sleeping giant of opportunity here. In my experience, I've learned basically instantaneously when/where muggings/shootings happen, why there are sirens, where to not go for lunch, where to go for dinner, when and where protests are happening, when there are free deals, who recently got kicked off campus, when the mayor is visiting campus, what people think of current events, and so, so, so much more.

Communities of place are somewhat missing in our daily lives, and it can be easy to forget why they are so damn important. Yik Yak fills this role in a digital way, that aligns with our current digital obsessions. It's nice to talk to my neighbors.