The number of social networking apps have increased dramatically since the Myspace era in the early 2000s. Even though social media platforms have significantly grown, they are beginning to look too similar, making it difficult for new ones to become popular.

TBH has been updated and relaunched as the new, well-liked app Gas. TBH was a tween-targeted app for anonymous compliments. TBH exclusively allowed users to express nice things about one another, in contrast to a similar app called Yik Yak, which allowed gossip to be spread. The only significant change TBH made when rebranding as Gas was to change its target demographic from tweens to high schoolers.

When Gas was first released in Aug. 2022, it quickly rose to the top of the social networking charts. Gas was able to surpass well-known social networking apps like BeReal, TikTok and Facebook to take the top spot. 

What makes this social media app so popular? One thing is users can anonymously vote for their friends in a round of polls that refresh every hour. The questions range from friendly compliments to flirty confessions. Unlike similar apps that have had issues with bullying and harassment, the polls are pre-made and there is no form for direct messaging systems linked with the app. The company’s goal is to create a place where users can begin to feel better about themselves rather than being dragged down. 

In the Fremont area, Gas has become increasingly popular as a result of a virtual TikTok that aroused everyone’s curiosity. As soon as people started posting screenshots of the results of their votes, word quickly spread across the school.

When users first download the app, it asks for their age and whether they want to enable the app to use their contacts and location. The app appears a little odd on the surface, but these are the same questions that other apps that we use every day ask. 

When I first started using Gas, I was puzzled since there are so many different pages that you can view, but I found that I have to tap through each page one by one in order to reach the one I want.

Gas is a fantastic concept in its entirety. It’s an ideal location for teenagers to go where they can feel comfortable and unconcerned about all the horrendous things that can be said about them on other social media platforms, but I do think that they should have kept the tween target audience instead of switching to a high school target audience.