--- title: An anonymous app called Gas is taking high schools by storm - The Hustle description: The anonymous app for teens just took over the top spot in the App Store. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1934032731-HS-News-Brief_2022-10-17T232216.471Z.webp --- # An anonymous app called Gas is taking high schools by storm ![Rob Litterst](https://thehustle.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Rob-Litterst-pic.png?width=48&height=48&name=Rob-Litterst-pic.png) [Rob Litterst](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/rob-litterst) [Rob Litterst Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/robbylit) Published: October 18, 2022 Updated: October 11, 2023 New social media apps tend to have limited shelf lives. ![An anonymous app called Gas is taking high schools by storm](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1934032731-HS-News-Brief_2022-10-17T232216.471Z.webp?width=595&height=400&name=1934032731-HS-News-Brief_2022-10-17T232216.471Z.webp) Even BeReal, which has [grown](https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/10/bereal-tops-53m-installs-but-only-9-open-the-app-daily-estimates-claim/) users ~2300% this year, is showing signs of trouble, with only 9% of Android users opening the app daily. Now there’s Gas, an anonymous app that prompts teens to say nice things about each other. Last week, it [became](https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-hottest-app-right-now-one-where-teens-have-to-say-nice-things-about-each-other-11665940854?mod=djemalertNEWS) the No. 1 free social app in the App Store, per *The Wall Street Journal*. #### **If Gas sounds familiar…** … that’s because its founder, Nikita Bier, also founded TBH, a similar app that Facebook acquired in 2017 and shut down in 2018. Here’s how Gas works: - The app uses location data to let users choose their high school - Users are served multiple choice questions about fellow students with superlative-style answers (e.g., “the most beautiful person you have ever met”) - Users are anonymous by default, but an upgraded version lets them see who said what about them The app has racked up 500k+ downloads since August, despite only launching in 12 states so far. #### **But is Gas safe for teens?** Gas, like BeReal and Locket, aims to create a more positive social media experience. - Bier said users have credited the app with improving their self-esteem, and making them feel more loved. While that might sound great, especially in light of mounting [evidence](https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-knows-instagram-is-toxic-for-teen-girls-company-documents-show-11631620739) that Instagram did the exact *opposite* for teenage girls, Gas still perpetuates a [dopamine cycle](https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2018/dopamine-smartphones-battle-time/) that trains teens to check their phones for validation. **If you’re a curious parent,** check out this [review](https://www.bark.us/app-reviews/apps/gas-app/) from Bark, a parental control app. Topics: [Apps](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/tag/apps) ## Follow us on social media prev next - ![Screen time slowing you down? Try ‘monk mode’](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1516654296-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-MonkMode_20231004230113.webp) ### Screen time slowing you down? 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