Secret shuts down its anonymous messaging app

Anonymous mobile sharing app Secret is closing down.

In a blog post, chief executive David Byttow said he would be sunsetting the service:

This has been the hardest decision of my life and one that saddens me deeply. Unfortunately, Secret does not represent the vision I had when starting the company, so I believe it’s the right decision for myself, our investors and our team.

The app has come under fire for being a platform for bullying. While the company did try to remedy the problem by instituting an anti-bullying system, it largely failed to stem the issue. It seems like that may have been the reason Byttow ultimately decided to shut it down.

The chief exec says he and his team are working to “gracefully” put the app to rest, but as of yet there is no timing on when that might happen.

During Secret’s lifetime it raised $35 million in venture funding.