Wizz

How Wizz works

Wizz is a social networking app for users to find new people to chat with online. The app lets users look through profiles and find someone they would like to chat to.

To create a Wizz account, users must add their date of birth and share a photo of themselves. Working in partnership with Yoti, a facial recognition app, Wizz verifies the age of each user. To verify an account, users must take a selfie. If the picture matches that of their profile, the account will be verified. If a user is unable to be verified, or is found to be using a false age, they cannot chat with other people. 

The use of facial recognition to verify accounts limits the opportunities for users to create fake accounts. After their account is verified, users are ategorised by age and can only contact and be contacted by those within a similar age range. 

Wizz states that it carries out regular verification checks and monitors any profiles that have shown age discrepancies in their signup, user profile, or during interactions with other users.

Minimum age requirements

Users must be at least 13 years old to use Wizz and cannot be older than 34. However, despite those aged 13 being allowed to use the app, there are risks on the platform that might make it inappropriate for them to do this. These are noted in the Managing risks section.

Features

Admirer 

Lets you see who has looked at your profile.

Bulk Chat 

A feature that lets users message 100 users at once. 

Friends 

The mutually added contacts a user has accepted to see their profile. These can be people they know in real life as well as those they’ve only met online.

Games 

In-app games users can play with other users.

Secret Chat 

A chat that is hidden and only accessible ad-free with WizzGold, the paid-for premium feature. Alternatively, users can watch an advert to view a Secret Chat. 

Skip the line or Boost 

A paid-for 30-minute profile boost that increases the chances of other users finding the boosted profile. 

Super Chat 

A chat that stays at the top of a user’s chat list. 

WiCoins 

In-app currency used to make purchases, such as a profile boost or a super chat. 

WizzGold 

The premium paid-for feature of Wizz, which allows users access to many features, such as the ability to:

• boost their profile, making it easier for other users to find them
• browse profiles ad-free
• reveal Secret Chats 

Managing risks

Harmful contact from others

Wizz is based around meeting and interacting with strangers, and this can open your child up to potential harm. Other users might have lied about their age and identity, and could attempt to scam, bully, groom or coerce your child.

There are actions you can take to reduce the risk of harm from strangers.

Adjust settings

In the account settings, you can adjust the visibility settings so that other users cannot see your child’s activity status. This means they won’t be visible in the ‘Find new friends’ section.

Talk about safe socialising

Supervise your child while they setup their account to ensure they don’t include private information in their bio. Talk to them about what is and isn’t ok to share online.

Teach your child how to recognise fake accounts and users seeking to do harm on the platform.

Ask about the people they’re talking to on the app and let them know they can come to you for support if anyone makes them uncomfortable online.

Explore reporting and blocking tools

Encourage your child to use the report and block features to end contact with anyone making them uncomfortable. This will make the platform safer for everyone.

Contact the police

If you suspect someone is attempting to groom your child, you should save any evidence and report them to the police.

Overspending

There are micro-transactions on Wizz, and users frequently receive popups encouraging them to purchase subscriptions and coins so that they can boost their profiles and receive more chat requests. Children might feel like they have to purchase these to meet people on the app, and this can lead to overspending.

The following steps can help prevent overspending on Wizz.

Discuss spending

Discuss in-app purchases with your child and ensure they understand that real money is used to make purchases within the app.

Set purchase controls

Change the settings on your child’s device so that any purchases require verification. This will stop your child from making in-app transactions without permission.

Settings to protect your child 

If you let your child use Wizz, these settings can help make their experience safer.

Adjust privacy settings

• On the Wizz app, select the person icon in the bottom right.
• Select the gear icon in the top right.
• Under ‘Visibility’, toggle off ‘Show my State’ and ‘Visible in Find new friends’.

Blocking and reporting tools

Block a user

• On the user’s profile, select the 3 vertical dots in the top right.
• Select ‘Block’.
• Select ‘Yes’ to confirm.

Report a user

• On the user’s profile, select the 3 vertical dots in the top right.
• Select ‘Report’.
• Choose the reason you wish to report.
• Select ‘Yes’ to confirm the report and block the user.

Disable purchasing

Disable in-app purchases (on iOS) 

• With Screen Time enabled, go to ‘Settings’.
• Open ‘Screen Time’ and select ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’.
• Turn on the toggle next to ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’.
• Select ‘iTunes & App Store Purchases’.
• Select In-app Purchases and select ‘Don't Allow’. 

Disable in-app purchases (on Android) 

• Go to your ‘Google Play Store’ app. 
• Select the profile icon. 
• Select ‘Payments and subscriptions’. 
• Select ‘Purchase verification’. 
• Select ‘Verification frequency’.
• Set it to ‘Always’ and select ‘OK’.