What happened to the Wizz app? Dating app drama explained
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What happened to the Wizz app? The supposedly teen-friendly dating app was removed from app stores in 2023 following controversy.
Safe spaces in online environments can be all too difficult. No matter what precautions you can take, you’ll never know exactly who you might interact with, especially when it comes to dating apps. And few apps pose a greater risk factor than one purportedly designed for teenagers and young adults. To this end, Wizz has caused a lot of controversy since 2023. Originally advertised as a “Gen Z social app,” Wizz has enjoyed huge popularity since its launch in 2019.
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The app has developed into a kind of dating platform for minors. In 2023, the platform was downloaded more than 14 million times over its lifetime and had an average of 1.5 million daily users. However, at the height of its success, the app received backlash for its allegedly unsafe user experience. It’s no coincidence that the app appears to have been removed from app stores in 2024. What happened to the app? Here’s what’s known so far.
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The Wizz app has been removed from app stores, with support citing a “technical issue.”
On January 31, 2024, users began reporting strange occurrences around Wizz. Many of them were posted on the official subreddit r/Wizz_app.
Some users reported that they were unable to send messages with links from other apps such as Snapchat, Instagram or TikTok and that attempting to do so would result in their accounts being suspended. Others complained that the app wouldn’t work without an update, which subsequently led to some of the most worrying news surrounding the app.
When attempting to update or re-download the app after deleting it, many users reported that Wizz had been completely removed from all app stores. Active users cannot update the app to access its features, and users who have deleted the app to fix any errors will no longer be able to restore it.
The official Wizz Instagram account even posted several updates to its stories.
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The support team blamed it on a “technical glitch” at Wizz and claimed they were working “super hard” to get it working again. They also warned users not to uninstall the app during this time.
In response to their removal, they even posted a joke story saying, “You guys are so cute, maybe we could lift the ban on everyone.” Just kidding lol.”
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While the declaration of a “technical hiccup” may be cold comfort to some, Wizz’s removal from app stores has come at a suspicious time. Since July 2023, Wizz has been criticized for its lack of parental controls and safety protocols regarding its underage user base. NBC News reported that some users were being blackmailed into sharing sexually explicit photos on the platform, with over 100 such cases reported at the time.
Although these controversies were not explicitly linked to the app’s removal from app stores, it is difficult to separate the negative reaction and Wizz’s attempts to fix the problem. At this time, full functionality of Wizz has not yet been restored.
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Wizz has released an official statement regarding its trust and security policies. A company spokesperson said: “We have zero tolerance for fraud and inappropriate behavior of any kind on the platform and are constantly innovating to ensure Wizz leads the industry in user security. We have developed a comprehensive security ecosystem where all written and visual content is moderated, age verification is required, and situations reported by users are addressed immediately.”
Regarding the app Apple and Google Play Stores, they said: “Apple and Google are seeking further information about our app and we are working closely with their teams to clarify our platform’s comprehensive security safeguards for users. We hope to resolve this matter soon.”
