Review of the Social Network AskFm, Essay Example

Although most social networking sites offer the users an opportunity to display their names, ask.fm allows users anonymity while engaged in interaction. Founded in 2010, this type of social network is often referred to as a social Q & A network. The Dublin, Ireland headquartered site takes a unique approach different from that of the traditional methods of social networking. This social network is available in countries throughout the world via the internet. The domain .fm is based out of the Federal State of Micronesia, a popular web domain among radio stations. In August 2014, the social network was purchased by Ask.com with intentions of improving user safety. As of February 2015, ask.fm has over 150 million registered users.

The format and layout of the site is not much different from other social networks. There are option tabs as well as notification icons. What makes it a Q & A form of social networking is that its concept is based on asking users interview questions. Users asking the questions may remain anonymous but the user whom is answering the question is known. When a question is answered, the answer is relayed back to the sender. Questions are stacked on any user profile for other users to view, though nobody has the ability to see who asked the questions. They may only know the user who answered it.

This way of social networking has become a popular trend for users whom would like to ask questions from their peers, but may be too shy to do so while disclosing their identity. Unlike other social networks, there is no private messaging feature on ask.fm. Users have the option of posting images but it is not popular on the site. An ask.fm user profile may be shared through other social networks such as Facebook and Twitter to gain popularity among friends from those profiles. This is truly a different and unique method of social networking and has made its’ mark in the industry.