Fizz Files Lawsuit Against Sidechat for Unfair Competition
Fizz, the popular anonymous social app used by over 80 college campuses, has taken legal action against rival Sidechat. The lawsuit accuses Sidechat of engaging in unfair competition and various other abuses.
Allegations Made by Fizz
In the complaint filed on October 6, 2023, Fizz demands a jury trial, damages, and an injunction against Sidechat’s interference with Fizz’s operations and its unauthorized use of Fizz’s trademark.
According to Fizz, Sidechat has resorted to competitive tactics aimed at disrupting Fizz’s launches and tarnishing its reputation. Examples include spreading rumors about Fizz having hackers and paying students to delete the Fizz app from their phones.
The court filing also claims that Sidechat has used false pretenses to obtain information about Fizz’s launch strategies, as well as engaged in trademark infringement and spread misinformation through marketing campaigns.
Mentions of Flower Ave., Ex-Snap Engineers
Although Sidechat has remained relatively silent in the press, investigations have revealed involvement from ex-Snap engineer Sebastian Gil and ex-Snap product designer Chamal Samaranayake. Both individuals are listed in an SEC filing for the owner of Sidechat, Flower Ave.
Flower Ave. had previously acquired another anonymous social app, Yik Yak, which had changed ownership in 2021 after being acquired by Square (now Block) in 2017.
Fizz’s Evidence and Efforts to Resolve the Dispute
Fizz backs up its allegations with screenshots of communications showing attempts by Sidechat to acquire confidential launch information and spread false spam reports against Fizz on Instagram. Additionally, Fizz claims that Flower Ave.’s actions have infringed on its trademark.
Prior to filing the lawsuit, Fizz attempted to address its concerns with Flower Ave. through multiple cease-and-desist letters but did not receive a satisfactory response as of the filing date.
Developments at Fizz and Sidechat
Fizz recently secured $25 million in Series B funding, which it plans to use for expansion to 250 schools by the end of the year. On the other hand, Sidechat’s efforts to take over Yik Yak have faced backlash from users unhappy with changes made after the acquisition.
No Comment from Flower Ave.
No response has been received from Flower Ave., the owner of Sidechat, regarding the allegations made by Fizz.
