By Emma Hawkins
Disclaimer: In the spirit of transparency, the source in this article is the author’s friend, and therefore falls under conflict of interest. Without her unique perspective, this story would not have been possible.
Fizz is an app common among college students that allows comments, pictures and videos to be shared anonymously to a specific college campus. To even begin using the app, one must input an email address associated with whatever university they’re trying to Fizz for — for example, Samford users must all have a “samford.edu” address.
Typically, the posts are meant to be amusing or relevant, hoping to get as many “up votes” as possible, meaning the post was popular amongst viewers. But, with the mindset of getting shocking reactions and a multitude of feedback, does this open the opportunity for harmful and crass content? Some may argue that Fizz is “purely for entertainment”, while others feel like it is a borderline bullying platform.
There are ‘hot’ times to post on Fizz.
“I post mostly during Step Sing or Convo, that’s when there’s the most discourse going on.” said Sarah Cameron, a sophomore ranked number 51 on the leaderboard.
To reach a larger audience and get the maximum responses possible, posting during these events allows more opportunity to seem funny or relatable. She reached this height through strategic timing and an understanding of what kind of content Samford students would consume and digest the most.
So, if Fizz is supposed to be playful, why do some Greek life organizations require their members to delete it? Or why do some students limit themselves to a certain amount of time spent on the app? There are frequent instances of blatant series of negativity, whether it is all focused on a speaker during a lecture, a post of an embarrassing photo of someone else without permission, or even more intense, anonymous controversy days after an event such as the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
“On occasion, there are days I have to close out the app and not open it for a while… like the day after the election last year… that was a rough day on Fizz.” said Cameron.
An acute example of the proven anxieties and unsettling qualities of Fizz presents itself through a recent post. A “love letter” directed toward a female student was uploaded, which would typically be answered with potential flattery or a swooning mystery. But not in this case. The letter got progressively darker, even violent, promoting a genuine fear and sense of danger from the viewers. Questions were raised: Who wrote this? Is this real? Surely not at Samford,… right?
With a platform so easily molded and veiled in anonymity, repercussions are seldom, and this fact can give satisfaction to those who gain temporary pleasure from posting harmful media.
“I think it’s easier for people to say hateful things though because they’re hidden behind a screen and they’re promised anonymity,” said Cameron.
A result of Fizz is hurt feelings, a constant paranoia of being posted and a wave of negativity towards Samford as a whole. Time spent on it can cause the viewers to regurgitate what they see and then begin to authentically agree with hurtful thoughts they did not even consider before reading it. It is an online environment that breeds laughter, yes, but also pessimism, self-consciousness and deep-rooted discomfort.
Is Fizz reflective of Samford’s values? We have not seen that to be the case so far.
Such a great article!