Online anonymity has been increasingly nonexistent since the advent of social media, and concern over the issue has reached epic levels. Enter: Dusk, the new anonymous live streaming app.
This anonymous live streaming app has been all people can talk about lately – and the reason for the buzz is controversial to say the least.
Dusk – The Latest Addition to Live Streaming
The app has implemented pixelated video and voice-changing audio to keep users’ anonymity intact. To use Dusk, people don’t need to provide any personal data – including email or phone number. The only thing you need to do is come up with a username and create a PIN code, which can be changed at any time. To seal the anonymity deal completely, Dusk uses end-to-end encryption.
When you choose to go live in the app, the video is pixelated in real-time and your voice is masked so nobody can identify you by your speech.
What are the Downsides of Online Anonymity?
Online anonymity is a double-edged sword. It can give a voice to those who are otherwise afraid to say anything. But it also allows people to be lesser versions of themselves without any fear of consequences.
This may be the impetus that throws the doors to cyberbullying and slander wide open.
Successful or Not, Anonymous Live Streaming Apps Are Here to Stay
In the past few years the issue of anonymity online has been discussed profoundly. The results are the development of apps like We The People.
Its mission is to help keep users informed and provide them with a platform where they can discuss politics anonymously. Let’s face it: many people are afraid to share their political affiliations due to fear of being judged, punished or ridiculed.
Another app fighting the status quo is QuickTip – an app launched by the Fulton Country school district. It targets everyone involved in a school in the district. It’s focus is to encourage everyone involved to contribute to security. They are tasked with doing this by anonymously sending tips to the police if they notice potentially dangerous behavior.
All in all, the biggest challenge anonymous apps have to deal with is abuse. This is precisely why an app called Secret shut down back in 2015. After continuous cases of hacks, government bans and cyberbullying, the CEO decided Secret had gone too far.
A similar app launched in 2012 named Whisper still exists – but it also deals with these problem issues on a daily basis.
Will Dusk Win the Fight?
The popular problem of “trolling” that exists on all social platforms is Dusk founders’ main concern. They’ve created community moderators and reporting tools to deal with it. It’s their hope that people will report spammers and abusers. Keyword blocking is also an available tool, much like on Periscope.
A nice feature is the ability to mute the trolls in your broadcasts without them knowing they’ve been muted.
Some users have been wondering what the point is in pixelating the video. According to one of the founders, video makes the content more compelling and gives people a real outlet to share their feelings while maintaining an air of secrecy.
It’s still unclear whether Dusk will persevere – but it’s a fact that it’s the first app to try and tackle online anonymity when it comes to live streaming.
