PostSecret Creator Removes iOS App In Response to Unrelenting Trolls

PostSecret founder Frank Warren announced today that after three months he is pulling the popular iOS app.

“Bad content caused users to complain to me, Apple and the FBI. I was contacted by law enforcement about bad content on the App. Threats were made against users, moderators and my family. As much as we tried, we were unable to maintain a bully-free environment. Weeks ago I had to remove the App from my daughter’s phone,” — Warren in a blog post today.

PostSecret has become an international phenomenon and the dedicated fan-base and user-base followed the blog to the iOS platform posting nearly 2 million secrets during the apps 3-month life cycle. The $1.99 app even enjoyed a nice stay as the top selling app in the App Store. However, the anonymity and ease of posting via iOS and the ability to comment on and react to posted secrets created a safe haven for a small number of vicious trolls.

"99% of the secrets created were in the spirit of PostSecret. Unfortunately, the scale of secrets was so large that even 1% of bad content was overwhelming for our dedicated team of volunteer moderators who worked 24 hours a day 7 days a week removing content that was not just pornographic but also gruesome and at times threatening," — Warren.

PostSecret plans to maintain its longstanding blog and users can continue to share their inner-most secrets anonymously via snail mail.

 Sources: PostSecret [via iPhoneHacks]