Social networking apps that become popular don’t always lead to positivity. A brand new app called Gas is looking to change that. It’s already growing in popularity with teens in Michigan, and its goal is to be in schools around the United States soon.
After getting a chance to check out the app and see all it has to offer, Gas has enough going for it that has it set up to be a viral hit. Teen reaction has been positive, and the team behind the app remains dedicated to expansion.
The Gas Difference
The rise of social networking apps means that there’s been a bit of oversaturation going on over the years. How is Gas attempting to stand out in a crowded field? A few of their features make them truly unique.
Mostly Anonymous
Typical anonymous apps in the social networking world have terrible reputations for the amount of bullying that goes on. Making anonymous comments and ganging up on someone is entirely too easy.
Gas aims to keep everything mostly anonymous but with a unique twist. It all starts with not allowing messaging between users. Even if two students are friends, they can’t message through the app.
Yes, this eliminates the opportunity to interact openly, but what’s noticeable in the past is that too much negativity comes from messaging. Since all the polls included are about sharing compliments anyway, there is less of a need for direct messaging.
Keeping things anonymous also bleeds into privacy. Parents don’t have to worry about children oversharing information that could get them in trouble. There’s simply no place for them to do that on the app.
Ultimate Privacy
Any app with a user base consisting of teenagers must have privacy as a top-level concern. The amount of transparency with how Gas keeps everything private and protected can help them shine compared to competitors.
Parents are usually the first to complain about any privacy issues with social media. Gas works by allowing people to vote on and interact with confirmed friends only. All the interaction is done through polls, as the app does not support messaging of any kind.
They have an algorithm behind the scenes ready to flag and outright remove accounts if they find a way to infiltrate a school network.
The only time users must share information is during the initial sign-up process. They share their Contacts with the app, while also providing their name, age, grade, and location for accurate school identification. It’s used to keep everyone on the app real and also in the right social groups.
Positivity
There’s a huge focus on positivity with the Gas app. The Gas team authors all polls themselves. Polls can include questions like who can sing like Olivia Rodrigo, who takes the best selfies, who is always looking out for me, and who is the best person to cheat off on an exam.
The user gets an alert if they get selected in a poll, or what the app calls receiving a “heart.” It’s pink if it’s a girl, blue if it’s a boy, and purple if it’s a non-binary person.
As an incentive, they also use coins as rewards for answering polls. With the coins, they can be redeemed to have better name placement in polls for friends.
There’s not a lot of upselling with the app, other than God Mode. The developers don’t push this much, but they offer it for those who want things such as unlimited hints, reveals, crush alerts, and more coins. Too many apps try to exploit teenagers for upgrades and purchases once they sign up, but this seems like a secondary feature on Gas. The app can be used entirely for free without feeling like features are missing.
What is the Potential For Gas?
Gas looks like a solid option that it’s truly trying to be one of a kind. With so many social network apps in the market trying to capture the attention of users, the only way to succeed in 2022 is to bring something different to the table.
A successful launch in Michigan will only help grow Gas more and more. This unique spin seems to give it a great shot at standing out.
