Yik Yak is reasonably new. I only know about it because my local news radio was doing a spotlight on it on the morning show that I listen to when I drive into work.

Here's an article CTV did on it back in December: Thousands want gossip app Yik Yak shut down | CTV News

And here's another from CBC two weeks ago: Yik Yak app: Why schools are concerned - Technology & Science - CBC News

This note, and what Teaandtoday said about the sentiments still being out there, really are the issue. And the thing is that even if the person being bullied isn't on those sites, what's said on those sites doesn't STAY on those sites. Kids read them and bring them into school, into sports, into clubs, etc. They don't post it and then forget about it, they post it, talk about it, taunt with it, repeat it, share it...

I think this approach is all you can do - educate them, inform them, watch as much as possible while still trusting, and hope for the best, I suppose. To a point, kids will find a way to get online, regardless of whether or not the parents 'allow' it. I remember in the days of MSN Messenger... my parents didn't like me on it because they couldn't monitor it that closely. I discovered a program (MSN Plus, for those that remember) that had a keyboard shortcut to hide MSN. It hid all the windows and changed the taskbar icon. I could press it pretty stealthy if my parents came into the computer room, and even if they started clicking around, they wouldn't find it unless they knew to look for it. That said, they did also teach me to be careful online... I more hid MSN from my parents because I was often on it when I wasn't supposed to be (like doing homework), as opposed to doing things on it that I wasn't supposed to be doing. I think I turned out all right in the end. Mostly.

This thread has touched a nerve for me also. It was never cyber for me - luckily my bullying was before that - but it was still bullying over a 6-year period.

Back to the OP, is it only me that doesn't have an account on any of the social media sites ... such as Facebook, linkden, Twitter, myspace, netlog, blogs or whatever else selfies like to do?

Is there a need for it, can folks live without it, then again BE is another social forum I suppose

I had to google to find what they are

http://webtrends.about.com/od/social...king-Sites.htm

I don't have a facebook account.
I have a twitter account so that I can see what my brother is up to. I've never posted.

Obviously I have a blog , but it was set up for a specific reason/topic

Twitter is good. You don't need to post, but can opt in to 'tweets' from people or businesses that interest you.

For my OH's business Twitter is a must but I don't think I could get into it for personal tweeting.

Yes seems to be mainly celebrities and wannabes that self tweet, but for organisations, clubs, iniatives etc it works well.

I still have not figured out the interest in Twitter. Not sure I see what use it provides.

I had an account there but seemed to hacked into a fee times, pain really.

Twitter is great for breaking local news and emergencies, weather alerts, traffic, specials at stores where you shop, and if you follow the right correspondents you can get news from around the world before it gets on the air anywhere else. It also (as Zoe mentioned) helps keep in touch with some distant friends and family.

Maybe it's just me but I can wait for the updates on the news sites that are pretty quick anyway, I routinely check weather sites when something in the weather is relevant...
Specials at stores? The mind boggles.
Isn't that what the phone or email is for? Or even snail mail? It seems a bit insulting to be just part of a list for some circular thing. Before the days of the internet we would never have approved of a general letter, photocopied and mailed out to friends. I don't know why it's acceptable now.

Obviously you aren't familiar with the generic " annual family letter" of yore.

How was that any different. It was in fact pretty much exactly the photocopied letter you describe

You could follow some aircraft clubs or train clubs for instance. Whistler must tweet conditions, events etc. as Caretaker said, great for getting instant news and alerts.

That's what I mean though. I'd rather have something personal to me. Anybody I ever heard that got such a thing was pretty much insulted by it. That's why I'd get to hear of it.

I can understand, for example, that the birth of a child could be announced this way but other stuff not so much.

I follow Ukrainian Co-op!

I use FB for that since none of my family is on twitter, so might explain why I don't see the use for it.

Makes sense though if you want news and such.

I suppose technology and me don't mix well, aside from old fashioned forums like this one,

I guess if I had unlimited data on the phone or a high limit, twitter might make sense. I keep my data off, but maybe one day, I'll become more in tune with twitter. It took me years to accept FB.

I imagine with about 5 minutes work people could probably get my real name and stuff but I'm not particularly fussed. Come round and say hello.