As a parent, it can be rather exhausting to attempt to track all the applications that your teen is using. This is especially true for options like the Wizz App, which is also known as Tinder for teens or tweens. This guide will look at Wizz and does well in deconstructing questions like ‘Do teens use Wizz?”; and “What ought I do next for my child?” With that said, it is time to move to the stuff that will help your teen stay safe online.
Many teenagers use the Wizz app every year to connect with new people. Wizz enables users to anonymously browse other users’ profiles they don’t personally know, which is why teenagers like it. As per different sources, Wizz downloads have exceeded millions. Moreover, out of them, the majority of the visitors are teenagers of 13-17 years of age. So, let’s uncover how you can keep your teen safe from it in this Wizz app review for teens.
What is the Wizz app?
Wizz gives teenagers and young adults the opportunity to find people they don’t know and communicate by text. Being a social platform, the app is a fun place for making new friends online without real-life connections.
- Age limits: Formally, Wizz is available only to people who are 13+. Anyone under this age limit should not be in the app. Moreover, the app will even use some robust face recognition features to determine a user’s age.
- Purpose: Wizz is not a typical dating app; however, in its work, it is very similar to Tinder. The main function helps users traverse profiles of the persons they might wish to talk to. Moreover, your teen will have to judge these new people based on appearance and short descriptions. Based on the above feature, many people have referred to it as the “Teens’ Tinder.”
Parents must know that even though Wizz is strictly for social networking, it can easily turn into a dating site. Teenagers may find it a social site to interact with strangers. But this brings about dangers, especially when interacting with other adults or coming across wrong content.
Key features
- Swipe-based chatting
The best feature of Wizz is the swiping mechanism which is evident in dating apps like Tinder. It’s possible to browse different profiles with strangers one at a time and select whom one wants to talk to. When two users swipe right, they are a match and can immediately start to message each other directly.
- Chat filters
The platform offers those users a filtering capability where they can decide who to chat with by interest. These filters can be used by teenagers to meet their fellow teens. However, the issue is that the filters are not very efficient in confining teens to their age.
- Video and text chats
In addition to the normal text messaging that is available on Wizz, video calling is also available. This is risky for teenagers if they are not wise about who they are interacting with. That is why video chats invite more challenges in discouraging users from misbehaving or providing private material.
- Profile creation
Creating a profile is quite easy on Wizz. Users post a photo, state their occupation, and describe their interests. Due to the basic structure of the said profiles, the particulars put by the users are not verifiable. So, in many cases, one gets to lie about his/her age.
Currently, the primary in-app purchases are profile boosts aimed at helping users gain more exposure to ‘Wizz.’ These premium features are appealing to teens, especially when they are exploring new friends.
How does the Wizz app work?
Here is how you can get started meeting new friends on Wizz.
1. Download and sign up: Wizz is available in the App Store and Play Store without charge. The app requires users to create an account by providing a username and basic personal information, including age. However, the lack of strict age verification makes teens easily fake their age to get adult profiles.
2. Set up a profile: After launching the app, creating a profile in Wizz is very easy and fast. They include a photo, a brief personal description, and several selected interests. This process is informal, and again it results in fake profiles being created.
3. Swipe through profiles: After that, the users can go through other profiles and chat with the people they like. It works like Tinder – swipe fingers to the left to toss something away and swipe fingers to the right to like it.
4. Start chats: When the two users match, they can start to text each other or start face-to-face video conversations.
Why was Wizz removed from the App Store?
In 2022, Wizz was removed from the App Store for a short time because of threats of child abuse. The primary issues that led to its removal included:
- Inadequate age verification: It reveals that most of the users could conveniently bypass age verification. This makes it clear that there would be many cases of child abuse and sexual harassment.
- Inappropriate content: Another issue is that the app did not manage to prevent the content with the features of quasi-pornography. While it is true that the company does use a form of the biggest and the best content moderation, it is not very effective.
- Privacy concerns: They also lacked privacy measures that would assist in protecting teen details that can be disclosed to strangers.
It has made many improvements to cater to the concern by improving its content moderation, as well as improving the privacy policy. This app was eventually brought back into the stores even if many parents would second the notion that it is still not safe enough. Even though the app has continued to develop and improve on the introduction of security features, it is still easy for young persons to contact strangers with fake profiles.
Is the Wizz app safe for your kids?
Wizz’s safety measures are better than they used to be, but they are far from perfect:
- Content moderation: The application has other artificial intelligence features that help pick controversial content. But, of course, no AI has been entirely resistant, and there is a chance that some detrimental content reaches users.
- Privacy settings: The users can make some settings to limit message requests, but it does not guarantee that strangers will never be able to reach the users.
- User controls: They include reporting and blocking options. These features are useful, but they do not offset all the safety risks that parents wish their children to avoid.
Understanding the Risks
Despite some improvements, there are still several risks parents need to understand:
– Age verification loophole: It is often easy to cheat in Wizz’s age verification system. Minors can state their age incorrectly, thereby having access to adult profiles and material.
– Stranger danger: First, the app is designed specifically to link strangers. So, it is natural to expect that many of the contacts that teenagers find will have bad intentions.
– Inappropriate content: Since there is content moderation in the app, it is not very strict to observe it. There is still the possibility of teens coming across with naked pictures, obscene language, and/or messages, as well as threats.
– In-app purchases: Situations may arise where teens would need to spend that money to have a higher profile of friends and even more features without the consent of the parents.
How can we help teens safely use apps like Wizz?
There are always dangers when teenagers use random anonymous chat apps like wizz. Still, to reduce those dangers, parents can take measures to ensure that their teenagers are safe when using the app. Here are five parental tips to enhance your child’s online safety:
▶ Adjust privacy settings
Show your teen how to set up privacy features on different apps, particularly how to stay anonymous from strangers. One of the most vital recommendations to pass on to them would be to make sure you never share private information with people online, especially individuals you don’t know.
▶ Discuss online risks with your kids
Engage your teen in a very many familiar conversations about the risks associated with online chatting. Make sure they understand it is wrong to post any toxic, explicit material on a website, chat, or even through pictures.
▶ Regularly check their app usage
It is advisable to take a glance at online chats and activities they are participating in regularly. Being aware of the social media platforms and apps your child uses, as well as the time he or she spends online on a daily basis, is essential for developing healthy online habits and preventing any risks.
▶ Use parental control apps for kids’ safety
Some robust parental control options like FlashGet Kids will assist you in tracing your child’s online activities and ensure their safety. It allows you to monitor what your kids are doing and using their phones, block any risky apps on kids’ phones remotely, control screen time a child spends daily or weekly, and even track the geographical location your child moves. More free and helpful parental features are waiting for you to explore!
▶ Encourage open communication and sharing
Establish rapport with your teens to ensure that they can tell you if anything occurs on these social apps. Remind them that they should be able to tell you anything that makes them feel uncomfortable without being blamed.
Final words
With Wizz gearing up to become more relevant to teens as time goes by, it’s only wise for parents to keep abreast and alert. Such apps as Wizz can offer real chances to interact with people, but using these apps is very harmful. In conclusion, learning your teenager’s habits on the web, using tools like FlashGet Kids, and carefully explaining the risks your child faces online will take you a long way in keeping your kid safe.
The important thing to remember is that no application makes you 100% immune to being attacked by strangers. But if you find yourself short of time, then using parental control apps should do the trick. These tools make sure that there is always a silent observer following your kid’s escapades on the web.
FAQ
Is Wizz app 18+?
Not exactly. The Wizz app is available for younger teens, and your child can create a profile on this app if they are above 13.
How do I verify and change my age on Wizz?
Wizz will require a face scan to verify your age. From there, you can change your age later through the account settings within the app.
Is the Wizz app banned?
Wizz was removed from Apple’s App Store earlier due to safety concerns, but it is now reinstated.
