Fizz is an anonymous social media app created by two Stanford students in 2020. It aims to connect students from the same university through posts, messages, and a marketplace feature similar to Facebook Marketplace. However, users can post and send messages anonymously.
How Fizz Works
- Users start by verifying their phone number and connecting to their school.
- Fizz requires users to verify their school email address to minimize the chances of users joining schools they don’t belong to.
- After selecting their school, users can post text, polls, photos, and interact with classmates’ posts by upvoting or downvoting content, similar to Reddit.
- Users can also anonymously direct message each other and choose to reveal their identity if desired.
- Fizz has its own marketplace feature where students can make deals, similar to Facebook Marketplace.
Key Features
- Anonymous posting and messaging: Users can post and message without a username or identifying information attached.
- Upvoting and downvoting: Classmates can upvote or downvote content in their feed, like Reddit.
- Direct messaging: Users can DM each other anonymously and opt to reveal their identity.
- Marketplace: Students can buy and sell items on Fizz’s own marketplace
What Parents Need to Know about Fizz
- Fizz opened its doors to high schools in 2024, creating a potentially toxic school community app.
- It has caused social problems across high schools and universities, leading to public shaming, speculation about teachers’ sex lives, and more havoc than principals have seen in years.
- Anonymous posting and messaging can lead to harassment, lies, and egregious behavior without accountability.
- Fizz had a serious security vulnerability in 2021 that allowed identifying post authors and accessing personal information like phone numbers and email addresses.

- Meeting up with strangers through the Marketplace feature can be risky, especially for high school students.
Is Fizz Safe for Children?
Fizz is rated 12+ on the App Store, but it is not considered safe for kids.
The biggest concerns are anonymity, the Marketplace feature, and the potential for cyberbullying, anxiety, stress, and depression.
Why Children Use Fizz
Fizz appeals to students who want to connect with classmates and engage with their school community. The anonymity aspect can be enticing for those who want to post without being identified. However, this often leads to harmful behavior.
How can parents monitor their child’s activity on the Fizz app
Fizz does not have an inbuilt parental control tool. Hence parents will have to use 3rd party tools for this. Here are some things parents can do to ensure safety while using this app.
1. Have open conversations
- Discuss the potential dangers of anonymous apps like Fizz, such as cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and interacting with strangers.
- Ask your child about their experiences on the app and listen without judgment. Pose hypothetical questions to learn how they would respond to various situations.
- Establish clear rules and expectations around responsible social media use.
2. Set limits using parental controls
- Most devices have built-in screen time settings to help set time limits.
- Consider allowing Fizz use only when your child is at home so you can keep a closer eye on their activity, especially for younger teens.
3. Watch for signs of problematic use
- Keep an eye out for changes in mood, sleep patterns, grades, or social withdrawal that could indicate issues stemming from Fizz or other social media use.
- If your child encounters cyberbullying, offer support, encourage them to report and block the bully, document incidents, and seek help if needed
Additional tips for parents
- Be aware of the apps your child is using and discuss them regularly.
- Use parental control options on your child’s phone to set digital boundaries.
- Create a family media agreement to establish clear rules before issues arise.
- Encourage your child to avoid using Fizz, especially the anonymous and Marketplace features.
- Monitor your child’s social media presence using parental control software
- Promote constructive real-life activities as an alternative to social media