SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 19 — Could complimenting people become the latest viral trend? Discord has just bought a social network called Gas, which revolves around sending anonymous compliments and positive affirmations to friends.
Could social networks one day become a safe, or at least safer place? That’s the direction Discord seems to be taking. The platform, which has seen a resurgence of interest following Twitter’s various woes, has just acquired Gas, a social network popular with American teenagers. The app, number one on the App Store in November 2022, has reached 7.4 million downloads and generated nearly US$7 million (RM30 million) in spending since its launch in the summer of 2022, TechCrunch reports, quoting Sensor Tower data.
The social network has quickly gained popularity among middle school and high school students, since its goal is to allow them to anonymously send compliments to their friends: “Gas is all about uplifting and empowering each other through positive affirmations. Its tremendous success shows the opportunity that exists in creating a playful yet meaningful place for young people,” Discord said in a news release.
The process is simple: sign up by entering your school, add your friends, and vote anonymously in polls about your peers, with prompts such as “Who has the best smile?” or “Who do you secretly admire?” These positive questions and affirmations serve to boost the confidence of the users concerned, who then receive “flames” when they win a poll.
To join this social network, users must be at least 12 years old. They can subscribe to paid features such as “God Mode” which allows them to get clues about the identity of the people who complimented them.
Discord has stated that the Gas teams will join the Discord workforce while retaining their autonomy as part of an effort to reach a wider audience: “We’re always working to create an inclusive world where no one feels like an outsider and we’re excited to welcome Gas to the Discord community as our next step to fulfilling that vision,” adds Discord.
This trend for positivity has already been seen burgeoning on TikTok, where creators have been making content that spreads good vibes, as well as on Snapchat. — ETX Studio
