With over a million downloads, first place in the Play Store trends ranking and the title of most downloaded app for iPhones in Brazil, Sarahah has surpassed established brands like Facebook and Instagram in popularity in recent days. Have you heard of the app?
The principle is very simple: openness. In fact, this is the literal translation of the term "sarahah," which is an Arabic word, as is the origin of its creator, Zain al-Abidin Tawfiq. In short, Sarahah allows anonymous messaging, encouraging sincere communication.
How works
By creating an account on the app, you can view your received and sent messages, while always preserving the sender's anonymity. Profiles can be found through the app's search, and those who don't want to be found can choose to have their profile accessed only by those who click the direct link.
On the website, the developers point out the benefits of Sarahah as the opportunity to get feedback from your coworkers, thus discovering areas where you can improve your skills, as well as strengthening relationships with your friends through honest communication. Really?
Déjà vu?
It seems like we've seen this before, right? That's because we have! In 2014, the Secret app generated controversy after its initial purpose of being a positive environment for anonymous messaging, similar to Sarahah, was distorted, and incidents of cyberbullying and inappropriate language led to the app's downfall. Secret shut down for good the following year, in 2015.
Outside of app stores, anonymous question sites are also popular on the internet. Formspring, Ask.fm, and the most recent Curious Cat, have already accumulated an impressive number of daily visitors, mainly among teenagers.
