We have a front-runner for “Worst Idea of 2025,” which is a pretty competitive field. A French app called Wizz is facing serious backlash for creating what critics call “Tinder for kids.” The app uses the same swipe-left-or-right system as dating apps, but is aimed at users as young as 13. Despite claims of using AI for age verification, the app has been linked to multiple child sexual abuse cases. In one case, a 19-year-old Marine posed as a 15-year-old on the app before assaulting an 11-year-old girl.
In others, adults in their 20s pretended to be teenagers to assault minors. Consumer watchdogs and media pressure got Apple and Google to remove the app, but it later returned with promises of better safety features. Now, members of Congress from both parties are pushing for the Kids Online Safety Act, which would require platforms to prove they’re safe for young users or face legal consequences.
Source: Futurism
