Wizz, a popular social media platform among teens in the U.S., has been removed from both the Apple App Store and Google Play following the controversy that arose when the National Center on Sexual Exploitation contacted Apple with worries about the app’s potential role in sextortion scams. Apple promptly responded, removing the app from its store and initiating communication with the app’s developers. The concerns revolved around the alleged connection between Wizz and incidents of grooming and abuse involving minors.
Google also suspended the Wizz app from Google Play on the same grounds, citing its child endangerment policy. This policy requires apps to prevent users from creating, uploading, or distributing content that facilitates the exploitation or abuse of children.
In response to the removal, a Wizz spokesperson stated that both Apple and Google are seeking more information on the app. The company is reportedly working closely with the tech giants to clarify the extensive safeguards in place for users. Despite the setback, Wizz remains hopeful about resolving the matter soon.
Owned by the French parent company and mobile publisher Voodoo, Wizz has been marketed as a social space for teens to make new friends. The app, with a Tinder-like interface, allows users as young as 13 to set up accounts, raising concerns about the potential exposure of minors to online risks.
Recent months have seen a rise in concerns surrounding Wizz, with child safety and technology research groups collecting information about the app’s usage. At least two content creators withdrew from a Wizz-sponsored content creation house due to concerns raised by child safety advocates regarding Wizz and sextortion.
A recent study by the Network Contagion Research Institute revealed that Wizz has been used in “financial sextortion” scams. These scams involve criminals coercing teens into sending explicit images, followed by threats to publish the content unless victims make repeated payments through various platforms. The FBI defines sextortion as a crime that involves adults coercing kids and teens into sending explicit images online, with devastating consequences in some cases.
Critics argue that Wizz’s age verification system is not robust enough, allowing potential threats to bypass facial recognition. The ease with which underage users could gain access to the platform raises serious concerns about the safety of minors online.
Image credit: Wizz
