Dive Brief:
- A social media app called "Gaggle-Local Message Board" has been banned by districts in Connecticut and Texas due to bullying concerns.
- Acting as a free, anonymous local bulletin board, users can post messages, gossip, and pictures without having to register for an account, and others nearby can then view the posts.
- The app is not affiliated with the Gaggle platform used by teachers to collect assignments and communicate with students in hundreds of schools across the U.S., placing it in violation of the 15-year-old brand's trademark. A cease-and-desist letter was issued to the app's publisher, Factyle.
Dive Insight:
It's not hard to imagine how an app that allows anonymous posts and is accessible from students' cell phones could quickly become a headache for administrators at the district and individual school levels. Students are reportedly already using it to post hateful messages and photos directed at various classmates and teachers. Perhaps the blatant trademark infringement is a silver lining here, as it could ultimately result in the app being pulled from Apple and Google's app stores, if it isn't shut down entirely — if it doesn't just start operating under a new name.
