By Rachel Metz — MIT Technology Review
“I want to quit Google,” the message on my iPhone read. “It’s boring here.”
Posted by an anonymous user in San Francisco to the confessional app Secret, the message quickly gained attention; after four days, it had received 78 comments, ranging from “just means you’re not on the right project” to “I quit Google, and it was one of the best decisions of my life.” At times, the original poster chimed in, saying things like: “I’ve been there a long time. Many jobs. The company no longer values initiative, and promotion is very slow.”
Many of us are addicted to sharing status updates on Facebook, photos on Instagram, and thoughts on Twitter. But real, raw honesty is tricky online. It’s hard to say what you really think when your true identity is attached, especially if your post could get you in trouble, either now or years down the line. That bored Googler on Secret wouldn’t be likely to voice those thoughts online under his or her real name—even if doing so could be therapeutic or even lead to other job options.