The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a complaint against Sendit, an anonymous question app developed by Iconic Hearts that became extremely popular among teenagers. The agency claims that the app tricked children and illegally collected their personal information. Sendit allows users to send anonymous questions through social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
This type of app became popular after similar apps, including YOLO and LMK, were removed from Snapchat in 2021 due to safety concerns. Following that, Sendit quickly gained millions of downloads. Teenagers, eager to continue sending and receiving anonymous messages, turned to Sendit as a replacement.
The FTC says that Sendit, under the leadership of founder Hunter Rice, misled users with fake messages. Some messages appeared to be from other users asking provocative questions like “Would you ever date me?” or “Have you ever tried drugs?” Users were then encouraged to pay for a “Diamond Membership” to find out who sent these messages.
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Deceptive Payments and Fake Identities
According to the FTC, the payment system was misleading. The “Diamond Membership” cost $9.99, but it was a recurring weekly charge, not a one-time payment. Many users reportedly did not realize this.
The FTC also states that some of the messages were completely fake, meaning Sendit created them to encourage users to pay. When users tried to reveal who sent the messages, they were sometimes given false information.
This practice is considered a dark pattern, a trick used by apps to make users spend money without fully understanding what they are paying for. The FTC’s complaint highlights that these methods were aimed mostly at young teenagers, making them particularly vulnerable.
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In 2022, Sendit even sued a competitor, NGL, claiming it copied the idea of fake anonymous questions and other trade secrets. NGL was later forced to end similar practices to remain on the App Store.
Illegal Collection of Children’s Data
In addition to misleading payments, the FTC claims that Sendit collected personal information from children under 13 without getting permission from their parents. This is a violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a U.S. law designed to protect young children online.
The complaint points out that in 2022, over 116,000 users reported they were under 13, but Sendit did not notify parents or ask for consent before collecting their information. This includes personal details that could be sensitive and misused.
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Tech reviews and user complaints also noted that the app promoted itself as a tool to “reveal” who sent anonymous messages, sometimes under different names like Sendit Reveal, but this was not always true. Users were sometimes tricked into downloading and using additional apps under misleading names.
The FTC says that the combination of fake messages, hidden recurring charges, and illegal data collection shows a pattern of deliberately deceiving young users. The allegations also stress that the app targeted children, making the practices especially concerning from a legal and ethical standpoint.
Sendit’s parent company, Iconic Hearts, and app developers have not provided detailed responses to these claims. However, the complaint from the FTC makes clear that the focus is on protecting children from financial exploitation and privacy violations.
This case adds to growing concerns over anonymous question apps and their safety for young users. Experts warn that apps like these can confuse children and teenagers, encouraging them to share personal information or spend money without fully understanding the risks.