Lawmakers Raise Alarm Over Teen Social App Linked to Abuse Cases
Why would anyone think that a KIDS DATING APP would be a good idea?
Startups often push boundaries, sometimes in strange but harmless ways. Others, however, raise serious safety concerns. One of those now facing growing scrutiny is Wizz, a France-based social app marketed to teenagers as young as 13.
A Dating-Style App for Minors
Wizz promotes what it calls “age-appropriate engagement,” using a swipe-left, swipe-right format similar to popular dating apps. While the company says the platform is designed to connect teens with peers their own age, critics argue that structure alone creates risks — especially as online child exploitation continues to rise.
Safeguards That Fall Short
According to reporting cited by The Hill, Wizz has been linked to multiple child sexual abuse investigations. The company claims to rely on “sophisticated AI safety algorithms for age verification,” but real-world cases suggest those systems are easily bypassed.
In Hawai‘i, police say an 11-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted told investigators she first met the suspect on Wizz. The accused, a 19-year-old active-duty U.S. Marine, allegedly posed as a 15-year-old — something the app’s safeguards failed to detect, despite what Wizz describes as “ironclad policies.”
Testing the System
Additional cases include adults in their 20s allegedly posing as young teens to assault minors. After pushback from Wizz, The Hill tested the app’s verification process and found a 28-year-old staffer was able to sign up as a 16-year-old.
Pressure and Possible Change
The app has been removed and reinstated on major app stores as scrutiny mounts. Meanwhile, bipartisan lawmakers are backing the Kids Online Safety Act, which would impose a “Duty of Care” on tech platforms — a standard long applied to industries like auto manufacturing. As The Hill notes, tech companies remain largely exempt from that level of liability.
More From 97X
