Wizz has recently been rising in popularity among children and young people, Wizz is a social networking app that allows users to chat live with people from around the world. In similar fashion to a dating app, it facilitates conversations with people that users would not ordinarily meet – but of course, making connections to individuals online bring its own self-evident potential safety issues.
While Wizz makes use of face recognition technology to assess users’ age and groups them by age group – the software is far from perfect and is no guarantee that some individuals won’t attempt to exploit the app for sinister purposes.
In the guide you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as catfishing, explicit content and “sextortion”, and examines how trusted adults can talk to young people to avoid these possible threats.
What Parents and Carers Need to Know about Wizz
In an age where empathy and understanding are more valuable than ever, apps like Wizz – which connect users with potential new friends – can be incredibly welcome. Pairing people with others who share their interests, the app can unite mutual fans of the same music, find fellow foodies to exchange recipes with or recruit new players for someone’s favourite online game.
Indeed, the app’s tagline promises to “expand your world”.
BUT is that expansion totally safe?
Wizz’s age verification system isn’t infallible – so, with the possibility of young people being matched with much older users, trusted adults might want to familiarise themselves with how this trending app actually works and have further conversations with your child about what is and is not appropriate to send to/share with 'online friends'.
We have been made aware that requests to share intimate photographs have been requested by these 'online friends'.
We urge you to read the parents guide, check to see if your child has downloaded the App.
Please use this opportunity to talk to your child about being safe online.
Wizz is a 12+ App - so is not appropriate for any child of primary age.
Thank you for your co-operation and support in this matter.
Miss Elliott & SLT
As of spring 2023, Wizz sits in the App Store’s top 20 social networking downloads and has amassed an impressive 10 million users globally. The majority of its user-base hail from Generation Z (that’s anyone currently between the ages of about 8 and their early 20s), with the app’s aim being to enable young people to forge rewarding online connections with others.
Despite its verification processes and security checks, Wizz can still be prone to risk, however. Bypassing the age limit of 13 isn’t particularly difficult, and – regrettably – wherever young people gather to chat online, potential predators and the possibility of explicit material are seldom far behind.