If you also downloaded Fizz to get a free donut but are now hooked on the app, you’re not alone—Siena’s newest social media has taken campus by storm. Fizz is an app created by two Stanford dropouts that has been implemented into over 80 campuses across the country, with Siena as its newest addition. The app allows students to post confessions, PSAs, and memes anonymously while receiving “upfizzes” or “downfizzes” for their posts. Posts are constantly uploaded, which allows for a continuous stream of new content every day. Upon opening the app, students are bound to see at least one of the following topics: trashing various sports teams, complaining about Saga food, the frequent fire alarms in the residence halls, or lamenting about the Siena logo change. After over a month of Fizz at Siena, a few pros and cons of the new social media app have surfaced.
The reality is that the negative posts with complaints about Siena get the most upvotes, and rightfully so—they create somewhat of a trauma bond and sense of community. Yet logging onto this app every day gives a skewed view of campus life. This is not to say that these complaints aren’t valid—no one would argue that 8AMs are the bane of our existence or that our logo was better last year. Also, many of these posts are lighthearted jokes (even at the expense of certain athletic teams), and everyone needs a chuckle when unwinding from classes at the end of the day. But this only tells half the story about life at Siena, as the more positive aspects of campus are not extensively highlighted. So although Fizz is a great outlet, it’s important to take the app with a grain of salt and remember it doesn’t provide the whole picture.
Privacy and data security issues are another downside to the app. As recently as two years ago, Fizz did not have sufficient data security in place, making it possible for anyone to query the database and directly access sensitive user information, including student phone numbers and email addresses. Additionally, the lacking security throws user anonymity into question—anyone who accesses the Fizz database can trace posts and upvotes back to specific users. While app developers have presumably tightened up security measures since then, this raises concerns about the overall “anonymity” the app prides itself for.
Regardless, the cons of Fizz don’t completely outweigh the positives. Writing about shared experiences and reaching students experiencing the same struggles builds a sense of community. Seeing others struggling to get up for classes at 8am or mourning their organic chemistry grade after a test reminds us that we’re not alone. The anonymity on the app promotes this type of openness without fear of judgment, leading to a more close knit student population.
But the beauty of Fizz is that we know exactly what we’re getting into when opening the app. At the end of the day, students aren’t looking for feel-good or inspirational posts on Fizz. We log onto the app to poke fun at Siena’s shortcomings and get the scoop on the latest campus drama. In the world of Fizz, humor reigns supreme, offering a welcome escape from the everyday stresses of being a college student.