What happened to the Wizz app? App store removal and 2023 scandals explored 

The Gen Z social app Wizz, which has been growing popular among teenagers in the USA, was taken down from the Apple app store and Google Play Store on Tuesday, January 30, 2024.

Trigger warning: This article contains NSFW content. Readers' discretion is advised.

The move came right after the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) “raised concerns about alleged sextortion scams appearing on the site,” as reported by NBC News.

“We are glad to THANK @AppStore and @GooglePlay for booting the Wizz app from their app stores after our outreach to them – this app connected children with strangers, leading to grooming and abuse. This step of social responsibility is vital for online safety,” NCOSE posted on X.

Both Apple and Google were contacted via emails to take down the Wizz app by NCOSE, and they abided by the request.

NCOSE thanking Apple and Google for removing the scandalous app. (Image via X/NCOSE)

A spokesperson for the controversial app told NBC News via email that both companies “are seeking more information” on Wizz, and they were “working closely with their teams to clarify our platform’s extensive safeguards for users" and were hoping to resolve the matter at the earliest.

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All you need to know about the Wizz app’s recent removal from app stores in the wake of 2023 controversy

On Tuesday, Apple and Google suspended Wizz from their respective app stores after NCOSE raised concerns about alleged s*xtortion scams running on it. Apple responded to NCOSE via email, saying, “We take App Store violations seriously and appreciate your outreach. The app has been removed from the Store and we are in touch with the developer.”

Likewise, a Google representative addressed the matter, saying that its child endangerment policy needs apps to “prohibit users from creating, uploading, or distributing content that facilitates the exploitation or abuse of children,” and upon review, it was found that Wizz violated the same.

Meanwhile, Wizz reported via its official Instagram account that it was “taking a break from the app stores due to a technical hiccup.” It also told its users it was trying its best to get up and running soon, disregarding the NCOSE claim. Not only that, but the Tinder-like app warned its consumers not to “uninstall” the app, hang tight, keep using it as usual, and stay tuned for more updates.

The app first raised concern last year in July regarding its security measures when research groups discovered that it was lacking parental controls and adequate safety protocols for its underage user base, as per Distractify. Cybercriminals coercing young adults to exchange explicit content has been its top concern, with more than 100 cases reported last year, as per NBC News.

In the wake of this, at least two influencers distanced themselves earlier this month from the app-sponsored content creation network called Wizz House, where they made TikTok clips to endorse the app, citing similar concerns but refusing to comment further due to nondisclosure agreements.

In contrast, a spokesperson for the app said its latest Miami content creation event was a “success” and helped showcase how the app helped make “meaningful relationships between young people.”

Meanwhile, apart from NCOSE, a nonprofit called Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) that focuses on the spread of “extremism, hatred, and crime online, to help combat and prevent it,” recently found out that Wizz was running “financial s*xtortion” scams, risking the anonymity of young users, as reported by NBC News.

As per NCRI, cyberbullies threatened several users to “pay up repeatedly through a variety of peer-to-peer payment apps, gift cards, and cryptocurrency transfers,” or share their explicit images with the public, friends, and family members.

The nonprofit also reported how users faced s*xtortion within minutes of installing the app, and complaints on Apple and Google app stores suggest the same. The study further indicated that minors often come across p*rnographic ads on the platform, while its age verification system is also weak.

For the unaware, the app is owned by a French tech company Voodoo, and is funded by Goldman Sachs, Tencent, and GBL. Launched in 2019, it is available to individuals aged 13 and above. Reportedly, it has 20 million active users.