• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

DOJ is turning to an ancient body of law to capture Iranian oil tankers. It’s been so long since the U.S. used it, 'we’d have to conduct a séance'

2

IBM’s CEO disagrees with JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon’s disdain for texting in meetings: ‘Telling people they can't use their technology would be weird’

3

Tech billionaires and executives like Evan Spiegel and Peter Thiel are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich

1

DOJ is turning to an ancient body of law to capture Iranian oil tankers. It’s been so long since the U.S. used it, 'we’d have to conduct a séance'

2

IBM’s CEO disagrees with JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon’s disdain for texting in meetings: ‘Telling people they can't use their technology would be weird’

3

Tech billionaires and executives like Evan Spiegel and Peter Thiel are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich
TechYik Yak

Yik Yak Officially Calls It Quits

By
David Z. Morris
David Z. Morris
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
David Z. Morris
David Z. Morris
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 29, 2017, 4:32 PM ET
Yik Yak Logo
Yik Yak LogoYik Yak
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The leaders of Yik Yak, a messaging app briefly in vogue on college campuses, have announced that the app will shut down over the course of the next week. The announcement comes after efforts at a sale first reported by Fortune’s Erin Griffith ended with Square acquiring the company’s engineering team for less than $3 million.

Back in 2014, after its app experienced a period of huge user growth, a $73.5 million funding round valued the company at $400 million.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

But those users were primarily interested in the platform’s promise of anonymity. That could have meant long-term challenges to serious monetization, and also led to incidents of abuse and bullying.

When the company last year began to push users to adopt persistent handles, the reaction was broadly negative. By December, the company had laid off 60% of its workers and was attempting to pivot.

Though Square has adopted its engineers, founders Tyler Droll and Brooks Buffington wrote in their parting message that they will be “tinkering around with what’s ahead for our brand, our technology, and ourselves,” suggesting that they still control what remains of the company. Yik Yak’s mascot, in particular, remains recognizable – though that’s probably not enough to get all of those investor dollars back.

About the Author
By David Z. Morris
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in Tech


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.