Fizz is an app that was brought to Florida A&M’s campus at the beginning of the spring semester in 2023. It was made to help get the FAMU community together, but within the past year what was curated to be a positive campus resource has turned into a toxic platform.
The app is an anonymous forum for students to voice their opinions, however, it is filled with damaging claims and accusations of students and faculty on the campus.
Lending itself to become a primary source for finding out about fights, arguments and scandals, Fizz has shifted into something that goes against its original intent.
Students have voiced their opinions on how Fizz has negatively impacted college life. From campus elections to the overall well-being of the student body, Fizz has been more harmful than helpful.
User @daylen25147 on X tweeted about the platform, saying, “All Fizz has done is put a spotlight on the foolishness that goes on at this school and makes people who weren’t aware before aware now.”
Within a year of the app being accessible to FAMU students, leaked emails, fight videos, classmate drama, and more negative content have been the main driving forces that keep it relevant on Florida A&M’s campus. Its popularity, now muddied in a mess, begs the question of how the university can handle this situation.
In April of 2023, USA Today reported Fizz, TikTok, and other media platforms were banned on all universities across the state of Florida’s WiFi networks.
While the ban successfully stops its usage on school internet systems, the apps are still accessible on campus. Further restrictions should be put in place to monitor how these platforms, more specifically Fizz are being used.
Moderators are on Fizz to help manage the application by reporting content and removing profiles when necessary. However, the mods are fellow students, which allows for things to seep through the cracks, with various content being upheld to a different standard.
Efforts such as proposing bills to the Student Government Association or taking further action within the campus leadership would allow the app to revert back to what it was intended for; to be a positive resource for students to stay informed.
New generations are coming into the HBCU landscape and are met with Fizz as a viable way to be introduced to college life. With the negativity the platform brings to campus life, it may be time to let the app fizzle out for something new and supportive to make way.