Jordan Gerard/ Winonan

Cyberbullying has become an issue for some students at Winona State University, with apps such as Yik Yak and Fade allowing anonymity for posters.

The “Terms of Service” page on the Fade app website says, “No Bullying.” Yik Yak’s “Terms of Service” page says users agree not to “Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten, or otherwise violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others.”

Although the terms of service have intentions of keeping users safe, this does not appear to be the case for some users.

Music business major Sarah Ortega said she has experienced cyberbullying on the app Fade.

Fade is an app which allows users to post text and photos anonymously and the posts “fade” or disappear after 24 hours, but if the post gets enough “up votes,” it will stay on longer.

Ortega’s photo did just that after an unknown male user took her picture and posted it on Fade without her permission. Three weeks of constant sexual harassment and cyberbullying followed, Ortega said.

Ortega said apps like Yik Yak and Fade were made to talk about teachers and other things in college, but said the anonymous apps do not help at all.

“It’s obvious to what it’s used for, and giving anonymity to a bunch of immature kids so they can talk bad things about other people without having the repercussions of people knowing who it is, gives them the freedom,” Ortega said. “I know none of the posts would have been said to my face, but they were said online.”

Ortega said she deleted the app but said she could not go to Kryzsko Commons without people talking about her. She said she tried talking to the person who posted it, but they just thought it was funny.

“I felt targeted and humiliated for something that shouldn’t be. I felt easy and alone,” Ortega said. “What’s been done is done.”

Ramifications for the poster so far have only resulted in the university posting anti-cyberbullying posters. University officials told Ortega this was the only thing they could do.

After three weeks, Ortega received help from an outside resource and said the comments stopped.

“I think people realized what could have happened,” Ortega said.

When people asked her why she took the photo, she said the photo was not the problem. The problem was the people who dehumanized and exposed it.

Social work major Allison Bergsbaken said she has experienced cyberbullying, and her experience made her feel “threatened and angry.”

“I have had people use the Internet to make angry verbal attacks about me online instead of confronting in person,” Bergsbaken said.

She agreed with Ortega and said if people are bullied, they need a support system.

Ortega said her family and close friends stuck by her, as well as Facebook friends and others who sent supportive messages. She said she posted an update about the incident on her Facebook and it got 400 “likes,” and she got 100 messages of support.

Her advice to anyone experiencing cyberbullying is to have a good support system and know it is not your fault.

“Just know that it’s good to have a support system,” Ortega said. “Know that it doesn’t last forever, and it will eventually pass.”