The Federal Trade Commission has filed a complaint against Sendit, a popular anonymous question app among teens and Gen Z, alleging the company deceived users, pushed misleading in-app purchases, and illegally collected children’s data.
Sendit lets users exchange anonymous questions through integrations with Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. The app surged after similar platforms YOLO and LMK were suspended from Snapchat in 2021 following a lawsuit; Sendit quickly amassed around 3.5 million downloads as users looked for alternatives.
According to the FTC, Sendit engaged in several deceptive practices:
– It injected fake, provocative prompts into users’ inboxes, such as “would you ever get with me?” or “have you done drugs?”, creating the appearance of real interest from friends.
– It nudged users to buy a $9.99 “Diamond Membership” to reveal who sent messages. The agency says it wasn’t made clear that this was a recurring weekly charge, not a one-time payment.
– When users paid to unmask the sender of a message that was actually generated by the app, they received false identity information.
The complaint also accuses Sendit’s parent company, Iconic Hearts, of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). In 2022, more than 116,000 users reported that they were under 13 years old. The FTC says the company failed to notify parents or obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting data from these underage users.
User feedback raised additional concerns. App Store reviews complained that an offering branded as “Sendit Reveal” was promoted as a way to identify who sent anonymous messages—an implication that, according to the complaint, did not match how the app actually worked.
The controversy comes amid broader scrutiny of anonymous messaging platforms and so-called dark patterns designed to drive engagement and spending. In a related industry dispute, Sendit sued rival NGL in 2022, alleging it copied the tactic of using fake anonymous prompts and other trade secrets. NGL later ended this practice to remain available in the App Store.
Why it matters:
– Regulators are intensifying enforcement around teen safety, deceptive design, and children’s privacy online.
– If the FTC prevails, Sendit could face penalties, mandated product changes, and long-term compliance requirements.
– Parents and guardians may want to review the privacy practices, subscription terms, and in-app prompts of anonymous Q&A apps used by their kids.
Key takeaways for users:
– Be cautious of recurring subscriptions disguised as one-time purchases.
– Treat “reveal” features in anonymous apps with skepticism, especially when payment is required.
– For families, use device-level parental controls and discuss how anonymity online can be manipulated to provoke engagement or spending.
The case underscores a growing push to rein in deceptive features in youth-focused apps and to hold platforms accountable for collecting data from children without clear, verifiable parental consent.
