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There’s a new social media app that’s attracting teens. The Gas app allows users to anonymously compliment a friend (or secret crush), and the app is gaining momentum among younger users.
NBC News correspondent Savannah Sellers reports today that 1 in 3 teens use the app and over 1 billion compliments have been shared.
So how does it work? Gas app users can log on to compliment their friends or “gas up”. Users give a series of polls about their friends with questions that range from thoughtful to flirtatious.
“You sign up, enroll in high school, sync your contacts, and we can find your friends.
Bier said people are being compared to other anonymous apps that suffer from bullying.
“The difference with Gas is that we create all the content, which generally lifts your mood and helps you answer positive polls. That’s what this product is about. It’s like,” says Bier.
Poll Example: “(Blank) If asked out on a date, I would say yes.” “I think (Blank) is the coolest kid in school.” You can see the results without knowing who voted.
Bier said Gas was designed in a “completely secure and private” way.
“We don’t allow messages of any kind (and) no ads or tracking,” he says. I’ve always wanted to, and with Gas, I think we’ve really achieved that.”
The seller spoke with students from New York’s Stuyvesant High School, who reported positive interactions with the app and shared examples of the compliments they received.
“I like your glasses,” shared Nicky, whose last name has been withheld to protect her privacy.
Another student named Finn shared, “You’ll look ugly and still look pretty.”
But are there any downsides associated with apps dedicated to “stunning” people?
So says Titania Jordan, chief parenting officer at Bark Technologies, a social media monitoring platform for parents.
“Gas isn’t as dangerous as other apps I’ve reviewed recently, but it does have some issues,” she told TODAY.com. “The app asks you to add contacts from your phone. Once selected, you can see all sorts of people in randomly generated polls. This can be confusing.”
“These polls don’t reveal anything very blatant and identifiable,” Jordan said, but that children were “very attached and persistent to the idea that someone likes them.” It adds that there is a possibility that people will use and check the app for a long time.
Jordan also warns against charging for parts of the app.
“Gas includes a subscription upgrade called ‘God Mode’ that unlocks the ability to reveal additional information through polls,” she says. “For example, you can see the first letter of someone’s name who voted for you, or get notified when someone adds your name to a new poll.”
A Bark Technologies executive said the feature could get more kids hooked on the app, “which could end up spending more money and time.”
Bier said the hint feature is the only way the company monetizes the app, saying, “We don’t recommend teenagers use it, because the mystery is more fun.”
Parents know their kids best, says Jordan, and as with all social apps, proceed with caution.
This article originally appeared on TODAY.com.
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