The Gas app is a new social media app that allows high school students to ask their peers poll questions and see anonymous answers. Even though Gas app developers say “Gas is an app to compliment your friends,” bullying and mental health concerns are likely for students using the app (Source: Gas). 

In this guide, parents will learn: 

1. What is the Gas app?
2. Why are students interested in using the Gas app?
3. What are some dangers of using  Gas?
4. Tips to talk to students about the dangers of this app

Parent and educator training video

(Click on the three lines or a blue dot in video progress bar to skip to a chapter)

1. What is the Gas app?
2. Where is Gas app available?
3. Gas app in the news
4. Why do students want to use Gas?
5. Why should parents & educators care?
6. What can parents & educators do?
7. Important privacy settings

What is the Gas app?

• Gas is an app that is targeted to high school students (currently only available only on Apple devices in select regions of the U.S.)
• Gas users send out and vote on polls with others in their school
• ~Poll questions are pre-determined by the Gas app’s developers and participants select what they want to send to their contacts
• Gas does not include a direct messaging feature
• Gas creators write “we wanted to create a place that makes us feel better about ourselves.” (Source: Gas)
• The default shows the grade and gender of the responses to a user’s poll, but users can pay with in-app purchases to reveal a poll’s results or purchase a “God Mode” subscription that unlocks additional features
• ~Others are not told who in their contacts is using “God Mode”
• Gas is based on the tbh app that was purchased by another company and shut down.  It was re-started with the name “Crush”

What is Gas app rated?

Apple App Store Rating: 12+

Google Play Rating: Not available for Android (Note, other apps may appear that look like this app is available through Google Play, but this version is not owned or operated by the official owner)

Terms of Service

Privacy Policy

Gas app in the news

“ ‘Gas’ uses anonymous compliments to build confidence, or "gas someone up."... after users sync up their location and contacts to the app, others anonymously vote for friends in a round of polls that refresh every hour. Everything from friendly superlatives to flirtatious confessions are part of the app.” - NewsChannel 5

“Unlike similar apps that had issues with bullying, the polls are pre-made and there's no direct messaging. The company says the idea is to "create a place that makes us feel better about ourselves". - Eyewitness News ABC 7

Why do students want to be on Gas app?

• Students want to see what their friends are talking about the Gas app on their phone
• Students may feel more confident expressing themselves with the idea that the responses are anonymous like Gas promises
• Students may be looking for positive peer support using the polls Gas provides

“This app is overall just amazing and the fact you can connect your school to the app is amazing. We have a pretty small school in Arkansas and I just typed in the name and it popped up and showed the names of some of my contacts in it to show who has gas in my region!” Apple App Store review

“This app has been so influential in my school where many people especially gurls have insecurities and hat for themselves. When this app blew up and everyone had It, you could actually see that problem were becoming more kind and accepting towards each other.” Apple App Store review

Why should parents & educators care about the Gas app? 

• Even though the questions are pre-programmed to be positive and uplifting, some students may still face mental health concerns by seeking feedback in this manner
• Checking for new polls or results to their own polls will increase students’ screen time and increases distractions with notifications

“Many people at my school use it… We usually take the polls daily…. many people get at least 15 notifications every hour. If you are not constantly on the app or checking it every hour, you have to spend a long time scrolling through each poll.” Apple App store review

• Even though students connect with a high school, it is possible that non-students can select a school to connect with
• Gas asks to enable location to join a school. Gas developers say location is “never saved....” Students should always be cautious about who or what they are sharing their physical location with through their device
• ~Students can disable location Gas' access after signing up (see important settings below)
• The app asks to “Enable Contacts to find friends who also have Gas.”  Even though the developers say “Your privacy is important to us” and they will “never share or sell your data to advertisers or data brokers,” sharing your phone’s contacts is generally not suggested 
• Friends can see their friends’ “Top Flames” on their Gas profile, which could lead to mental health concerns from self-comparison or in-person bullying based on the data in the app

What can parents & educators do about the Gas app?

• Ask your student to show you how the Gas app works as they sign up or how they are using it if they already have it
• Talk with your students frequently about what types of Gas polls they like sending or responding to and what they have heard about the polls amongst their friends or in their school
• Remind students that others online are not always who they say they are and someone they think is a friend of a friend at school may be a stranger no one actually knows
• Explain to students why sharing their location from their device with potential strangers is dangerous, even if they think they know who they are connecting with
• Have frequent discussions with your students about their self-confidence and how they feel about what they see in the Gas polls (positive or negative)
• Talk about depression and suicide with your student so they can recognize red flags in their friends and how that might be see on Gas polls (Learn more with our “How to Talk About Suicide and Depression with Your Students”)
• Create a screen time agreement as a family to set and check screen time expectations (Use our screen time agreement template to get started)

Privacy/setting recommendations for Gas app

• Disable location access for the Gas app after signing up (Click on the gear Settings in the app, then select Gas, then set location to “Never”)
• ~Learn how to turn location off for other apps on your iPhone as well with the Apple Screen Time Guide for Parents
• Hide “Top Flames” from their profile by tapping on Edit Profile, Manage Account and turn Hide Top Flames to off
• Encourage students to report when they see someone breaking rules by tapping on the user’s profile, then select “REPORT USER” in the upper left corner 
• Turn off notifications for the app through the device’s app settings to help reduce distractions  
• Turn off in-app purchases or select “Ask to Buy” in Apple’s Screentime settings to restrict in-app purchases (Learn more in our Apple Screen Time Guide for Parents)

Key terms/slang about Gas app

• God Mode-An upgrade to the app that allows students  to see more information about who answers their Gas polls
• Flames-Students receive flames when they are selected as an answer to a Gas poll
• Pink flame-Seen when a girl picks them in a Gas poll
• Blue flame-Seen receive this when a boy picks them in a Gas poll
• Purple flame-Seen receive this when a non-binary user picks them in a Gas poll
• Coins-Students earn coins by answering polls about their friends. Students can spend coins to vote more for their friends

Additional resources and other apps

How to Talk About Suicide and Depression with Your Students

Apple Screen time Guide for Parents

How to Find Hidden Apps on a Phone

Smartphone & Social Media Agreement! What Parents, Educators, & Students Need to Know

What are "Anonymous" Social Media Apps?: What Parents, Educators, & Students Need to Know

Conclusion

The creators of Gas want the app to be a positive and safe experience for high school students with pre-written poll questions designed to improve students’ self-confidence through their phone. However, adolescent minds could easily turn these positive intentions into concerns. Students need adult guidance and reminders of where and how to gain self-confidence.   

If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or call 911 immediately. If you’re uncomfortable talking on the phone, you can also text HOME to 741-741 to be connected to a free, trained crisis counselor on the Crisis Text Line.