Whisper App Reviewed

whisper logo

Mobile app review of Whisper, an anonymous social platform.

We don’t receive press releases when apps or invites to the latest social network (I’m still waiting on my invite, Ello). But every once in a while, we stumble upon a something we didn’t know existed. I didn’t know about Whisper until five days ago.

Whisper is like Secret in that it’s a mobile-only app that allows users to post their dirty laundry for others to like or comment on. In that aspect, it’s almost identical to Secret.

That’s where the similarities end. Whisper is much more interactive than Secret. You can favorite, reply or send a user a direct message allowing you to talk about a secret you share or offer words of encouragement.

The app also lets you search posts from one mile to 50 miles from your present location. A good idea in case you only want to talk to locals. If you don’t like that idea, you can scroll through the latest posts, most popular or categorized Whispers. After checking out some of the categories, it’s clear the whispers are separated by keywords. That does lead to some of the posts are miscategorized, but it seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

The user base is large. According to an article from Business Insider, as of December 2013, the app’s user base neared 3 billion. With that many users, you’re certain to get some interaction since “Whispers” aren’t limited like Secret.

That’s both a blessing and a curse. The app is crawling with neckbeards. In the five days, I received about 10 pictures of unimpressive male genitalia and blocked about 15 more users on top of that. If the neckbeards aren’t trolling the posts looking for an easy lay, they’re actively posting in hopes of a random hookup.

Cleaning up the user base would be tricky. If developers restricted interactivity, they risk losing users. Fewer users means fewer notifications. That’s counter intuitive since talking about our secrets anonymously is what makes the app appealing. I’m sure there’s a way for the developers to restrict unwanted advances, but I wouldn’t know what that is. I guess that’s why they included a blocking feature.

At Whisper’s core, it’s a place you can still be anonymous and air your dirty laundry. But as appealing as that sounds, you may check your phone and get a hookup request from a neckbeard. Use with caution or go and collect as many dick pics as you want. No judgement here. Whisper is available for both iOS and Android phones.

"Talks about geek/nerd things, college football, and online marketing. I'm goofy and awkward. I try to wordsmith things."