With over 15 million downloads, the Wizz app has created a buzz amongst teenagers. It is a social networking app to connect with people worldwide. The app features video chat, fun profiles, group rooms, and chatting options.
As a parent, the first question is, “Is it safe?” Therefore, I used the app for a week to test its content, safety, and privacy. So, if you’re wondering if the Wizz app is safe for your child, this article will help you do just that. Let’s jump into my experience.
How safe is the Wizz app?
With so many safety concerns on the web, you can never be too careful about the apps you choose for networking. Especially if it affects your children. So, I researched to ensure the Wizz app was safe. I downloaded the app on my iPhone and created a profile. You can connect with people based on age, gender, interests, and location.
Even though the app is described as a “safe place,” I am skeptical, as its swiping feature resembles dating apps. Therefore, after using the app for a week, here are my observations about its performance.
Key Features
- Swipe to Find Friends: The app allows you to swipe the people based on your preference to befriend. You can connect with them when you are online and start chatting.
- Find a Community: Who doesn’t love a sense of belonging? Connect with people who share similar interests, and find friends who love what you love.
- Free Download: The app is totally free to use, and you can download it from your App Store or Google Play Store.
- Live Chat: One of the app’s features is that it enables you to connect with people and chat with them live instantly.
Age Appropriate Content & Parental Control
Although the app boasts safety, the age verification system needs to be more foolproof. The app allows anyone aged 13 or above to create a profile. However, there’s nothing to stop children from asking somebody older to click a selfie for them and input the wrong date of birth.
Also, considering that anyone can make a profile on this app, the app can be used by predators to target and choose their victims easily. Therefore, children can be exposed to explicit content while being trapped in sharing sensitive information with a stranger they have grown to trust.
The complete lack of parental control is one of my biggest disappointments. The swipe feature also turns it into a dating app, which can harm impressionable children. Overall, the safety and protection of teens on this app are questionable.
User Interface & Navigation
Downloading and creating your profile on Wizz is quite straightforward. The app guides you to a simple setup for a personalized experience, and you can quickly get the hang of it.
The Wizz app has a user-friendly interface. The app displays vibrant color schemes to enhance the overall feel and grab attention.
User Reviews and Ratings
The app has received mixed reactions, with a 4.3-star rating. Even though some people have found the app to help connect them with like-minded people, many users are uncertain about the safety and privacy of the app.
There have also been reports of various inappropriate and harmful content. Some people have also come forward to share their experiences about the blackmailings to make people aware of the scammers and predators on the app.
Pricing vs Value
Although the app is free, it offers some in-app purchases to add more friends or buy an add-free version. The Wizz Gold 1-week plan is priced at $6.99. You can also buy coins starting from $4.99 to 49.99. The app also offers weekly and monthly plans priced at $6.99 per week and $9.99 to 19.99 for one month and three months, respectively.
I found the prices quite high, and they don’t justify any teenager spending this amount to indulge in a social networking app. The constant pop-ups for an ad-free version or buying coins to make new friends can also cause anxiety among teens when they cannot upgrade their current versions for any reason.
Wizz App Alternatives
There are several other apps like Yubo, Wink, Meetup, and Bumble Bff that offer a similar experience to connect with like-minded people. These apps also offer chat features and a chance to build a community. If you want to know about other alternatives to Wizz, I have a list of other apps like Wizz.
Customer Support
The app’s customer support is a mixed bag. While the Help Center is responsive, the limited live support hours pose a challenge for users in a different time zone. Their email response is quite prompt, but the response quality and privacy concerns in chats need a requirement. Overall, the customer support is prompt and somewhat satisfactory.
Frequently Asked Questions
NFS on the Wizz app indicates a message that requires a quick or immediate response. However, be careful while responding to such messages and consider the nature of the message before responding.
The app is widely promoted as a social networking medium. However, the swipe feature of the app may lead some people to believe it is a dating app.
If your Wizz app is not working, you should update your app and clear the cache on the app to get rid of corrupted data.
If you think the ban is a misunderstanding, appeal to customer support. Other ways to get unbanned from Wizz are to use a VPN, create a new account, and wait for the ban to expire over time.
Any person who is aged 13 and above can use Wizz, which is what makes it unsafe for teens, as the predators cannot be restricted.
Wrap Up!
If we lived in an ideal world, the Wizz app would have been excellent for connecting with people worldwide. However, we are not, so I recommend using your discretion. Even though the app tries to promise a safe space, it fails. While it might seem exciting to build a community, you might be on the radar for phishing, blackmail, or exposure to explicit content.
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