{{Short description|Former Saudi Arabian social networking service}} {{Infobox website | name = Sarahah | logo = Sarahah logo 2.png | company_type = | foundation = {{start date and age|2016|11||df=y}}<ref name=history>{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2017/07/23/the-story-of-sarahah-app/|title=The story of Sarahah, the app that's dominating the App Store |last=Bell|first=Karissa|date=23 July 2017|publisher=Mashable|accessdate=2 August 2017}}</ref> | location_country = Saudi Arabia<ref name=history /> | area_served = Worldwide | founder = Zain-Alabdin Tawfiq<ref name=history /> | registration = None | launch_date = | dissolved = | current_status = Active | industry = Internet | language_count = 2 | advertising = Yes | website_type = Quiz platform | num_users = 300M+ accounts (per founder's LinkedIn) | url = {{URL|https://www.sarahah.com/}} | logo_caption = }}
'''Sarahah''' ({{langx|ar|صراحة|ṣarāḥa}}) was a Saudi Arabian social networking service for providing constructive feedback. In Arabic, ''sarahah'' means "frankness" or "honesty".<ref name=history />
Sarahah allowed people to text messages to others and the person reading that could then reply anonymously. Initially, it was meant for workers to compliment their bosses. Spam was frequent, sent by third-party apps claiming to be able to reveal the usernames of anonymous senders.
== History == It was created by Zain-Alabdin Tawfiq at the end of 2016 and reached a sudden worldwide success by mid-2017.<ref name="history" /> This growth is considered to be deeply related with the release of a Snapchat update that allowed people to share URLs on their snaps.<ref name="history" /><ref name="ft">{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/7d2d59e0-72dd-11e7-93ff-99f383b09ff9?mhq5j=e1|title=Can Sarahah survive the trolls?|last=Bradshaw|first=Tim|date=28 July 2017|publisher=Financial Times|accessdate=2 August 2017 }}</ref>
It was released on the US Apple App Store on 13 June 2017, and also had users in several other countries including Canada, India, and Lebanon. An update was released by Snapchat on July 5. Within two weeks, it was at the number 1 position. The rise was also seen in a Google Trends report.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Google Trends |url=https://trends.google.co.in/trends/explore?q=sarahah |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=Google Trends |language=en-GB |url-status=dead }}</ref>
On 26 August 2017, it was reported that the Sarahah mobile app quietly uploads the user's address book to its web servers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theintercept.com/2017/08/27/hit-app-sarahah-quietly-uploads-your-address-book/|title=Hit App Sarahah Quietly Uploads Your Address Book|last=Grauer|first=Yael|date=27 August 2017|publisher=The Intercept|accessdate=27 August 2017 }}</ref>
On 12 January 2018, Katrina Collins, after friends of her 13-year-old daughter sent her abusive messages, started a petition to have the app banned.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/did-i-miss-something-dolly-s-friend-makes-emotional-statement|title='Did I miss something?': Dolly's friend makes emotional statement|date=12 January 2018|publisher=Special Broadcasting Service|accessdate=12 January 2018}}</ref> The petition gained nearly 470,000 supporters. Both Apple and Google had removed the app from their stores.<ref name="bbc">{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-43174619 |title=Sarahah: Anonymous app dropped from Apple and Google stores after bullying accusations |date=26 February 2018 |work=BBC |access-date=27 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/sarahah-banned-iphone-android-download-app-store-down-not-working-anonymous-curious-cat-a8228941.html |title= Sarahah: Popular anonymous messaging app blamed for making abuse easy is kicked off iPhone and Android |date=26 February 2018 |work=The Independent |access-date=27 February 2018}}</ref>
In 2019, Sarahah launched a iOS app called Enoff (pronounced “enough”) which was aimed at employee activism and unfair practices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lunden |first=Ingrid |date=2019-01-31 |title=After bans from Apple and Google, Sarahah debuts Enoff, an iOS app for anonymous feedback at work |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/31/after-bans-from-apple-and-google-sarahah-debuts-enoff-for-anonymous-feedback-at-work/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref>
On 15 December 2021, Zain-Alabdin Tawfiq announced via Twitter: {{blockquote|"...I regret to share with you that we're shutting down the Sarahah platform Thank you for helping us achieve unprecedented growth and making us proud, for your support and patience I hope to see you again..."}} This was retweeted by Sarahah's Twitter account.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}
== Relaunch as a quiz platform == Sarahah has been relaunched as a quiz platform that matches people with careers, coffee types, exercises, and other things based on their answers.
== See also == * Anonymous social media * Ask.fm – a service which used to be anonymous, and was linked to several teen suicides in 2013<ref name=bbc /> * Secret (app) – a similar service which was shut down in 2015<ref name=bbc />
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{official|https://www.sarahah.com/}}
Category:Saudi Arabian social networking websites Category:Anonymous social media Category:Internet properties established in 2016 Category:Android (operating system) software Category:IOS software Category:Question-and-answer websites Category:Personality tests