Sarahah app is going viral, but what is it and how does it work?

There is a new viral hit on the web and it is called Sarahah. Haha what? Yes, that is the exact question millions of web users have as they see the Sarahah app popping up on their Facebook feeds. It is all over the place. You may have probably heard about the app already if you are on Facebook or Snapchat. You may have seen hundreds and thousands of posts shared by your friends via Sarahah. Wondering what is it all about? Let's get all your questions answered here.

Some may already know about this trending stuff that's flooding the social media platform, especially Facebook. While some may have absolutely no idea about what is this app all about. Well, this is an application which can be downloaded by both Android and iOS users. It is available on Google Play Store as well as on App Store. The app hit the Play Store only in February, and within just a few months the app has spread like wild fire and has managed to get over 50 lakh downloads already.

What is Sarahah app?
Sarahah is an Arabic term which means honesty. This is an anonymous messaging app that lets people send messages to any random person if that person has the app installed. To find that person either you will have the link to that person's Sarahah profile or you can search for the profile through the user ID or email address. Although, given the anonymous nature of the app, the search functionality is not as good as what you get in Facebook or Twitter.

Sarahah, back in February was introduced as a website by a Saudi Arabian developer -- Zain al-Abidin Tawfiq. However, the developer it seems later thought that the app can go viral with as an app. That when Tawfiq on June 13 released an app version of Sarahah on both the iOS App Store and Google Play. And as expected, it went absolutely wildfire.

The reason why the app has gone viral is because the receiver of the message doesn't even get to know the sender's identity. Basically, the message is sent anonymously. For instance, this is probably a great application to confess anything to someone which probably you can never say them in person.

Is Sarahah app propagating cyber bullying?
However, if not used diligently, this app also has potential to be very risky. Some reports claim that a bunch of people have been misusing the application and using the app as a means of cyber bullying.

Considering the fact that people have the freedom to send anonymous messages to anyone, there are reports that some people are misusing the app and are using as a tool for rampant cyber-bullying. Though some users are taking this as a game and fooling around with friends, there are a bunch of evils eyes who are targeting the Sarahah app as a cyber bullying platform. They are sending threatening messages to people and literally bullying them.

The app was introduced just a few months ago and already there multiple cases of cyber bullying related to it. and pre-teens have reportedly been subjected to unsavoury comments and racist remarks in some instances. While on the other, people are using this application to going up to the extent of sending death threats. A review that was posted on Google Play reads, "My 13-year-old sister uses this and she got a death threat aimed at our 2-year-old brother." After such incidents took place, many parents have reported that the app and said that this is "the newest platform for cyber bullying".

How to use the Sarahah app?
Now that you know about the app and understand its risks, let's explain how you can use it.

First step to become a Sarahah user and fool your friends, and confess something to someone is to install the application. If you're an Android user, you can get hold of the app on Google Play Store, iOS users can download it from App Store. Upon installing the application, you now need to register with email ID, password, and name. You are now good to go. After creating an account with the Sarahah app, you can directly share the link to your Sarahah profile with Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media platform to let your friends know.

Now that your friends now know you are on Sarahah, they'll send you an anonymous message, and all you'll get to see is the message. There'll be no name, no information about the sender anywhere. Similarly, you can also send messages to your friends. You can only receive the message and can't reply to in anyway. However, it seems Sarahah will get that feature soon, as the websites state, "You can't respond to messages now. We are studying this option."

Note: The person you want to send the message via Sarahah must have installed the application. All you now need to do is type a message and send. This app is addictive. But, given that it is an app for fun, and should be used diligently without harming anyone.

JIO paid tariff plan will begin from July.

Reliance Jio on Friday made a slew of announcements related to its Prime membership, including no tariff for the first three months under the scheme. To avail the offer, customers will have to first subscribe to the Prime membership by paying Rs 99 and also purchase Jio's Rs 303 and other plans. Following which, they will get the first three months as "complimentary" and their paid tariff plan will begin from July.
"Every Jio Prime member - when they make their first paid recharge prior to 15th April using Jio's Rs 303 plan (or any higher value plan) - will get services for the initial 3 months on a complimentary basis. Your paid tariff plan will be applied only in July, after the expiry of the complimentary service," Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani said.
Jio Summer Surprise
While thanking customers who have purchased the Prime membership, Ambani termed the new offer as Jio Summer Surprise. "The Jio Summer Surprise is the first of many surprises for JIO PRIME members," he said.
Ambani also said that over 72 million people had subscribed to Reliance Jio in a record period.
"In just one month over 72 million Jio customers have signed up for Jio Prime membership," Ambani said.
"Over the past few days, we have been deluged by millions of customers queuing up to purchase Jio's popular Rs 303 and other tariff plans. This nationwide trend indicates that very many customers are still in the process of purchasing JIO PRIME and their first paid tariff plan. I am committed to 'WALKING THE EXTRA MILE' for my Jio Family members," Mukesh Ambani said in statement.
On Network Congestion
Ambani also made a reference of the network issues and promised an improvement in service quality in the days ahead.
"We are acutely aware that we have small pockets of congestion on our network. With our investment in network expansion, you will see a dramatic improvement in service quality in the coming weeks," Ambani said.

Beware of the new WhatsApp scam that promises FREE internet!

Scammers never take a day off. And how do we know this? Well, they keep coming up with news ways and means to trick us. A fresh WhatsApp scam is running about and is tricking users with the promise of free Internet.

Some WhatsApp users have reported having received a message where the sender is promising free Internet service without using any Wi-Fi network. The message reads like this…

“You can already get Internet Free Without WI-FI with WhatsApp and it is by means of invitations, here I give you an invitation! > download link”

Besides being poorly written, this message is complete nonsense from a technical point of view. Without Wi-Fi, the only way you can access the Internet is through an active cellular data service (2G/3G/4G) – which is not free, unless you are using a special pack. But however nonsensical it may sound, this WhatsApp scam can manage to trick some people who might not give much thought to it.

What happens when you click on the link?
Clicking on the link displays a page where you must share the invitation to 13 friends to be able to use the free Internet. The page also flaunts comments from different users who have tried this service. All these users and comments are fake and just one more bait to push you further into the trap.

What happens when you share the invitation?
Once you have shared the ‘fake’ invitation, you will be taken to other fraudulent web pages where you might be subscribed to costly SMS services without your consent or a potentially dangerous third-party app will be downloaded on your phone.

And what’s the bottom line?
You will never get the free Internet service because it didn’t exist to start with.

Tips to avoid falling for such WhatsApp scams

If any app is offering you a service for free or at a low cost, ensure you verify it by visiting the app’s official website, before acting upon it.

Never click on links received from unknown users, especially when the message talks about free offers.

Install a reliable mobile antivirus app that can prevent you from reaching fraudulent or dangerous websites, and block the download of malicious apps.

If you think you might have clicked on links which are a part of such similar scams, run an antivirus app and it should clean your mobile device.

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