In the spirit of the app which is under discussion, I am going to be honest.I am fast approaching thirty, I have a soon-to-be four year old daughter and I am a primary school teacher surrounded by confident and curious 11 year olds every day. Hence I like to think I'm up to speed on the latest internet trends and apps, thanks to my school kids.  So, why on earth did I feel the urge to Google the word 'teenager' in preparation for this article?

In case you didn't know, Google defines a teenager as "a young person whose age falls within the range of 13 to 19 years old." But as all parents know, and teens alike, it is much more than just an age bracket. Feeling uninspired by that dry definition, I clicked on Google images instead and was led to an abundance of photos. As I was sifting through them, I stumbled upon different groups of teens smiling, laughing, texting and taking selfies. Their mobile phones, laptops and tablets were part of their groups; extensions of themselves.

Whether we like to admit or not, teenagers are attached to their mobile devices and take pride in building their social media profiles. Their profiles serve to represent who they are, who they know and what they like; in the hopes to achieve nothing more than a 'like', comment or other form of acknowledgment from their peers.

Each year brings a new wave of mobile applications targeting such age groups in an attempt to make their way to the top of the trending list one click at a time. This year, Sarahah is high up on that list.

What is Sarahah?

The word 'sarahah' means honesty, in Arabic. However, it is honesty which is delivered anonymously. This anonymity is the core purpose of the widely used application.

Who came up with the idea?

Saudi Arabian programmer Zain al- AbidinTawfiqcame up with this particular concept of providing feedback anonymously. This idea was developed by means of a website set up within a company and to be used amongst employees. By means of the website, employees were able to provide feedback directly to their managers while remaining unidentified. From a professional standpoint the service seemed useful and trustworthy, even. He set out to give a voice to those who wanted to share their opinion, yet feared speaking up.

Due to its success, Zain al-AbidinTawfiq decided to share his concept on a wider, social level, whereby friends can share their thoughts and opinions about someone else anonymously too. Needless to say, once his app was launched in June, teenagers across Australia, America and the U.K were curious to know all about it. Malta was no exception.

How does the app work?

Naturally, I downloaded the application and registered an account. I was driven by curiosity as my eyes scanned the screen. The overall design is subtle and sleek; no complex logo and detailed graphics. It is as easy on the eye as it is easy to use.

When registering, the app asks for the usual personal details such as an email address, password, username and (optional) photo. Once registered you proceed to log in using the same email address and password you initially provided.

Once logged in, you will be directed to your profile with your visible username and (optional) photo. Below your username you will have a record of the number of messages you have received, along with a link. That link is the way others will be able to connect with you and leave comments on your profile. This can be shared by simply highlighting, copying and pasting the link on social media. Many teenagers choose to share it on their Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter accounts allowing people to forward their honest thoughts of them, anonymously. Many Maltese youth are linking their profile on their profile descriptions, so people will know where to find them in case they want to tell them something, even in hiding.

Needless to say it has gained a reputation of being called a self-esteem machine.

While keeping these attention and approval seeking teenagers in mind, I concluded two troubling features in the app. Firstly, once a message is received, there is no way of finding out who the sender is. You cannot communicate with the sender via direct message as there is no 'reply' option. Secondly, other people wishing to forward a message do not need a Sarahah account; all they need is the link.

Once the link is shared, there's no guarantee of what kind of messages one can receive. Senders can be brutally honest in the kindest and cruellest ways; with the latter causing quite a stir in recent online experiences.

Why is it sparking so much controversy?

Cyber bullying has been in the spotlight over the last decade due to individuals abusing the right to express themselves while affecting others in the process. The Sarahah app has given such individuals a platform in which they can target others by sending any type of message they wish without exposing their identity.

On an international level, concerned parents have reported instances where their child received hurtful and offensive messages which affected their self-esteem. Of course, the obvious solution would be to shut down their account and/ or block offensive senders. However, it is far more challenging to erase the insensitive messages lingering in a teenager's mind.

Hence, Sarahah has been shamed online for giving 'bullies' the freedom to attack others without the fear of getting caught.

What are Maltese teenagers sharing on it?

Sarahah seems to be familiar amongst local teenagers and they seem well informed on its use. To gain deeper insight on the matter, we asked Maltese teenagers about the app and what teens are using it for. According to one thirteen year old girl, the sense of anonymity linked to the messages is encouraging her peers to speak their mind and pass on rude and mean comments. She spoke about friends of hers who received upsetting comments which targeted her family.

As far as constructive and positive comments go; Maltese teenagers reportedly use Sarahah to pass on compliments to others they like and find attractive, the modern version of leaving a secret love note folded up on the desk of the person you're crushing on.

Needless to say receiving such flattery makes teenagers rather curious to know who sent them. Hence they would often try to reveal the sender's identity by taking a screenshot of the message and displaying it on other social media platforms such as Instagram or Facebook and simply ask, 'who sent this?'It's become a real-life version of Guess Who and the possibilities are endless.

Let's face it, do we really need another excuse to bury our heads in our mobile devices?