Wizz, an app often referred to as “Tinder for kids,” has come under increasing scrutiny for facilitating connections between minors and adult sexual predators. A recent report from the National Center on Sexual Exploitation highlights some dire consequences for young users who are groomed or assaulted after using the platform. The founders of the report, Haley McNamara and Lily Moric, urge lawmakers to take decisive action against the risks posed by such apps.
Targeted at teenagers aged 13 and older, Wizz employs a familiar swipe-right, swipe-left interface that mimics popular adult dating applications. Despite its playful marketing, with claims of helping teens make new friends, the reality is starkly different. With over 16 million users, including nearly 4 million daily active users, Wizz has carved out a concerning niche, particularly in metropolitan areas like New York. Here, many underage teens are logging on to interact with strangers, often encountering suggestive profiles and imagery that are far from innocent.
A 16-year-old user from Manhattan aptly described Wizz: “It’s like Tinder for kids… It’s marketed as a wholesome app when it’s actually not.” This sentiment resonates as alarming instances of deception and abuse become all too common. McNamara and Moric recount tragic stories of young girls misled by predators posing as peers. One harrowing account details a 12-year-old girl who, under the impression she was meeting a 14-year-old boy, was confronted with a much older man who subsequently assaulted her. Incidents such as this illustrate the grave dangers lurking in a space designed to feel safe for children.
Across the border in Canada, reports to Cybertip.ca concerning Wizz have reached over 180 since 2021, with many incidents related to sextortion schemes. These predators use manipulation by constructing false narratives about shared interests or local affiliations to exploit trust. The unsettling statistics indicate significant numbers of minors being victimized through this platform.
Though Wizz’s parent company proclaims that “safety is our top priority,” claims of biometric age verification and profile checks raise skepticism. Experts say these protections can be easily circumvented, allowing adults to masquerade as children without effective oversight. Additionally, critics contend that Wizz has disregarded safety precautions in favor of user engagement, mirroring the troubling trajectory of other apps like Kik that have similarly failed to protect their young users.
In their op-ed, McNamara and Moric declare: “The message is clear: Big Tech cannot be trusted to self-regulate.” They call for legislative action to hold tech companies accountable for the safety of their platforms, emphasizing that established norms in other industries should apply to tech as well. For example, when car manufacturers produce vehicles, they are mandated to ensure basic safety features are effective. The same should apply to online platforms frequented by minors.
The proposed Kids Online Safety Act aims to establish a “Duty of Care” for tech companies, compelling them to develop platforms with the safety of children in mind. This legislation represents a crucial step toward safeguarding young users, outlining clear repercussions for negligence.
McNamara and Moric further underscore that the Kids Online Safety Act has undergone careful revisions to ensure it would not infringe upon free speech. The legislation aims for specificity in what constitutes harm, protecting against vague interpretations that could lead to censorship.
Wizz’s troubling connections to predatory behavior underscore an urgent need for accountability in the tech industry. As Congress considers the Kids Online Safety Act, the hope is that platforms like Wizz will be compelled to prioritize the security of their youngest users. It is a pressing issue that demands attention to prevent further exploitation and to ensure children engage in a safer digital world.
"*" indicates required fields
