Brighten, an app made to send and receive anonymous compliments with your friends, has swept through Coppell and captivated many students. It was at first, used to send compliments and “brighten” a person’s day, but it quickly turned into an app used for bullying and poking fun at people.

The comments on Brighten changed from, “You’re so beautiful!” and “You’re an awesome person!” to racially offensive, tacky and rude comments.

I do not think that there is a need for someone to make a Brighten account. Compliments are much better face to face, and it just opens the gate for one to get harassed online since it is anonymous. Not only that but it directly opposes the purpose of the app. But if someone does decide to make a Brighten, either to stay within the loop or any other reason, they should only add people that they are very close friends with them, because once their amount of friends on Brighten gets too big and they start adding acquaintances, they start getting rude comments. Either from your “friends” or from people who think their rude, inappropriate, demeaning comments are funny.

Even if you do take precautions and do not add a lot of people, still be prepared to receive unwanted comments. But more importantly, use the app to send compliments and “brighten” people’s day.