
What is Sidechat? The controversial app students have used amid campus protests, explained
CBSN
When Los Angeles Police Department officers in riot gear arrived at the University of California, Los Angeles early Thursday, the anonymous messaging app Sidechat filled with posts trying to piece together what was happening: "Is everyone ok? I just heard like 8 cop cars go by," one post read. Others shared rumors about police action and outside agitators and pointed students to live streams to watch the events unfold.
Sidechat has taken on a new role on college campuses as pro-Palestinian demonstrations and law enforcement's response to them have escalated in recent weeks. Posts on the app are anonymous, allowing students to share opinions and updates freely in a way they often can't on other platforms. But Sidechat's anonymous nature has also fueled hateful rhetoric, college administrators say, raising questions about its role in spreading division on campuses.

There have been 27 major disaster declarations issued by President Trump so far in 2025. The disasters range in size and scope, from the L.A. wildfires to Midwest tornadoes and the Texas flooding as well as several winter storms. Many of them have resulted infatalities and billions of dollars in damage to property and businesses, but one major deadly weather event that occurred in June hasn't been declared: an extreme heat wave.