By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 14:40 EST, 14 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 16:12 EST, 14 March 2014 . It has become the latest must have app across Silicon Valley, taking every bar and office by storm. Dubbed the 'secret social network', allowing users to anonymously post their innermost thoughts - and read those of their friends. Co-founders David Byttow and Chrys Bader revealed it has been just as popular with investors, revealing after just 45 days, the Secret app has also found itself a hit with investors - who have given the firm $8.6m. The secret app allows people to post anonymous messages - however, their friends are alerted that 'a fiend' has posted, raising fears the service could be misused. The app lets users post anonymously to friends and friends of friends. Users won't know who is actually posting or responding, only  that the poster is someone from their contact list. 'Secret is 45 days old,' the founders wrote in a blog post revealing the deal. 'In this short time, we’ve watched our community embrace and shape the tone of the product in inspiring, informative, heartfelt and creative ways. 'As the platform evolves, it becomes more clear that Secret truly shines in its ability to spark intriguing, meaningful and provocative conversations with unprecedented levels of authenticity.' However, the app has raised major concerns over online privacy as users begin to question how private it really is. Some of the posts already made include a married VC outing himself as gay, founders ranting about their investors, and users admitting cheating on their wives and girlfriends. Users admit the appeal of the site is its lack of consequences. 'Secret is like being drunk on Facebook with no consequences. 'Where have you been all my life?' one person wrote on Secret last week . Co-founders David Byttow and Chrys Bader say their intent is to provide a space where people feel safe. 'What we’ve seen has been nothing short of inspiring,' wrote Badow. 'Thoughts have been shared across the country that are honest, moving, hilarious, and contrary to expectations, rarely inappropriate. 'This reaffirms our belief that anonymity can foster positive change in the world.' The app offers users the chance to be Anonymous . 'We built Secret for people to be themselves and share anything they’re thinking and feeling with their friends without judgment. 'We did this by eliminating profile photos and names and by putting the emphasis entirely on the words and images being shared. 'This way, people are free to express themselves without holding back.' The firm has also hit back at claims the anonymous aspect of the site could lead to major problems if posters are unmasked. 'In this day and age, privacy and security are more important than ever,' said Byttow. 'It was important to us at Google and Square, and will always be a top priority at Secret. 'We take all reasonable measures to protect information about you from loss, theft, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. 'We care about your privacy and anonymity -- We don’t offer usernames or profile photos to anonymize all content. 'We ensure posts on Secret can’t be traced back to you by another user.' Today . oday, . The firm says people also use the app more than they expected. 'Notably, 75% of people with more than 5 friends come back every day. 'Furthermore, 90% of users that engage in a conversation come back within the week, often several times per day.' Data like this reaffirms our belief that there is opportunity to build a platform around rich and unexpected conversations.Funding. Focusing on revenue so early on for a social network is detrimental to its natural evolution. When raising money, it’s critical to work with people you trust that will believe in you through the good times and the bad, which is more valuable than raising the most cash at the highest valuation. We’ve selected a diverse group of exceptional individuals that know this to be true, and will help steward Secret forward.This week, we brought $8.6MM of new capital into the company from a mixture of venture capital firms and angels. We received support from Garry Tan and Alexis Ohanian of Initialized Capital, MG Siegler of Google Ventures, Bing Gordon and Megan Quinn of KPCB, Chris Howard and Brad Silverberg of Fuel Capital, Vivi Nevo, SV Angel, Ashton Kutcher of A-Grade Investments, David Sacks, Bill Lee, Pete Cashmore, Joe Montana, Rob Wiesenthal, Andrew Chen, and several other secret and amazing individuals, with co-founders David Byttow and Chrys Bader as sole members of the board.Our vision is to create a world flowing with authenticity. Being more open with each other brings us closer together, builds understanding, and ultimately makes the world a better place. Our Series A funding enables us to curate a small, passionate team of artists and builders, listen closely to the community and continue to focus on the work in order to make it happen.
App has already been used by married investor to out himself as gay .
Allows users to .
Founded by David Byttow and Chrys Bader .
Firm claims it wants to allow people to 'share freely'
By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 14:40 EST, 14 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 16:12 EST, 14 March 2014 . It has become the latest must have app across Silicon Valley, taking every bar and office by storm. Dubbed the 'secret social network', allowing users to anonymously post their innermost thoughts - and read those of their friends. Co-founders David Byttow and Chrys Bader revealed it has been just as popular with investors, revealing after just 45 days, the Secret app has also found itself a hit with investors - who have given the firm $8.6m. The secret app allows people to post anonymous messages - however, their friends are alerted that 'a fiend' has posted, raising fears the service could be misused. The app lets users post anonymously to friends and friends of friends. Users won't know who is actually posting or responding, only  that the poster is someone from their contact list. 'Secret is 45 days old,' the founders wrote in a blog post revealing the deal. 'In this short time, we’ve watched our community embrace and shape the tone of the product in inspiring, informative, heartfelt and creative ways. 'As the platform evolves, it becomes more clear that Secret truly shines in its ability to spark intriguing, meaningful and provocative conversations with unprecedented levels of authenticity.' However, the app has raised major concerns over online privacy as users begin to question how private it really is. Some of the posts already made include a married VC outing himself as gay, founders ranting about their investors, and users admitting cheating on their wives and girlfriends. Users admit the appeal of the site is its lack of consequences. 'Secret is like being drunk on Facebook with no consequences. 'Where have you been all my life?' one person wrote on Secret last week . Co-founders David Byttow and Chrys Bader say their intent is to provide a space where people feel safe. 'What we’ve seen has been nothing short of inspiring,' wrote Badow. 'Thoughts have been shared across the country that are honest, moving, hilarious, and contrary to expectations, rarely inappropriate. 'This reaffirms our belief that anonymity can foster positive change in the world.' The app offers users the chance to be Anonymous . 'We built Secret for people to be themselves and share anything they’re thinking and feeling with their friends without judgment. 'We did this by eliminating profile photos and names and by putting the emphasis entirely on the words and images being shared. 'This way, people are free to express themselves without holding back.' The firm has also hit back at claims the anonymous aspect of the site could lead to major problems if posters are unmasked. 'In this day and age, privacy and security are more important than ever,' said Byttow. 'It was important to us at Google and Square, and will always be a top priority at Secret. 'We take all reasonable measures to protect information about you from loss, theft, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. 'We care about your privacy and anonymity -- We don’t offer usernames or profile photos to anonymize all content. 'We ensure posts on Secret can’t be traced back to you by another user.' Today . oday, . The firm says people also use the app more than they expected. 'Notably, 75% of people with more than 5 friends come back every day. 'Furthermore, 90% of users that engage in a conversation come back within the week, often several times per day.' Data like this reaffirms our belief that there is opportunity to build a platform around rich and unexpected conversations.Funding. Focusing on revenue so early on for a social network is detrimental to its natural evolution. When raising money, it’s critical to work with people you trust that will believe in you through the good times and the bad, which is more valuable than raising the most cash at the highest valuation. We’ve selected a diverse group of exceptional individuals that know this to be true, and will help steward Secret forward.This week, we brought $8.6MM of new capital into the company from a mixture of venture capital firms and angels. We received support from Garry Tan and Alexis Ohanian of Initialized Capital, MG Siegler of Google Ventures, Bing Gordon and Megan Quinn of KPCB, Chris Howard and Brad Silverberg of Fuel Capital, Vivi Nevo, SV Angel, Ashton Kutcher of A-Grade Investments, David Sacks, Bill Lee, Pete Cashmore, Joe Montana, Rob Wiesenthal, Andrew Chen, and several other secret and amazing individuals, with co-founders David Byttow and Chrys Bader as sole members of the board.Our vision is to create a world flowing with authenticity. Being more open with each other brings us closer together, builds understanding, and ultimately makes the world a better place. Our Series A funding enables us to curate a small, passionate team of artists and builders, listen closely to the community and continue to focus on the work in order to make it happen.
allowing users to anonymously post their friends. Co-founders David Byttow and Chrys Bader revealed it has been just as popular with secret app allows people to post anonymous himself as gay, founders ranting about their