A new social media app called Gas is gaining popularity among teenagers, allowing them to anonymously compliment their friends and secret crushes. According to Gas app founder Nikita Bier, one in three teens are using the app and over a billion compliments have been shared. The app works by allowing users to log in and "gas up" their friends by taking a series of polls about them. These polls include questions that range from thoughtful to flirty and the results are visible to everyone, but the identity of the voter is kept anonymous.
The Gas app has been designed to be "completely safe and private," with the company stating that they don't allow messaging or advertising on the app and it has no tracking features. However, some experts have raised concerns about the app. Titania Jordan, chief parenting officer at Bark Technologies, a social media watchdog platform for parents, said that while the app is not as dangerous as others, it still has some issues. She states that the app prompts users to add their contacts from their phone and that it could get messy when random people appear in the polls.
Jordan also warned of a paid feature called 'God Mode' that unlocks extra information in the polls, such as the first letter of the name of someone who voted for you, and can lead to kids getting more hooked on the app and spending more money and time on it. Bier stated that the hint function is the only way the company monetizes the app and encouraged users not to use it. Jordan recommends parents to use caution when allowing their children to use the app and to know their kids' behavior when it comes to social media.
The subject of this column is the rising popularity of a new social media app called Gas among teenagers. The app allows users to anonymously compliment their friends and secret crushes, and is gaining widespread use among young people. The column discusses the features of the app and how it works, and highlights both the positive and negative aspects of the app. The author also shares some insights and opinions of experts on the potential drawbacks and concerns related to the app, such as the potential for users to become too attached to the idea of being liked and the subscription upgrade feature that reveals extra information in polls. The column also advises parents to use caution when allowing their children to use the app and to know their kids' behavior when it comes to social media. Overall, the column provides an informative and balanced perspective on the Gas app and its impact on teenagers.
