There’s an updated photo-sharing app – it’s different from other social media platforms.
We joined the app and chatted with users to gain a deeper understanding of how BeReal works and what you need to know.
BeReal is a social media app that encourages users to share snippets of their lives in real time. It was launched in early 2020 by an entrepreneur in France, but the majority of its users (at least 65%) have signed up this calendar year.
As the name suggests, the focus is on authenticity. Once a day, users are invited to share photos of what they were doing at the time, giving friends and others a humble glimpse into their lives.
It has no filters and no edit button. So, if your hair is messed up in that moment and your field of vision is a rainy parking lot, that’s what people will see.
The results are a far cry from the polished, over-curated photos that are popular on other social media platforms.
How does it work?
The concept of BeReal is simple. After downloading the app, you will receive a daily notification that it is time to “BeReal”. That means you have two minutes to take and post a photo of what you’re doing, no matter how mundane.
There’s no set time — notifications go out at random times of the day — adding to the app’s mystique.
“Push notifications are sent simultaneously around the world at different times each day,” the company said in a statement. “How the time of day is chosen is a secret, not random.”
This means that potential windows into your life can open at any time. When it does, the app invites you to take a picture of what you’re doing at the time. It takes two photos – a selfie and a photo showing you in front of you. (BeReal doesn’t allow video yet.)
The result is a social feed full of unedited photos of people doing mundane things most of the time — hanging out in their pyjamas, doing homework, riding the bus, reheating dinner in the microwave.
With only one post a day, no friends’ photos cluttered scrolling through. Friends’ posts can only be seen by sharing photos, eliminating lurkers. Some people have their location turned off for privacy reasons because the app works in real-time.
Georgetown University student Ben Telerski, 21, an avid social media user, joined the app in August.
“One of the things I like about BeReal is that I’m able to connect with my friends through social media on a platform that doesn’t encourage likes, comments, or pretentiousness. … Just show your friends what you’re doing right now The alarm goes off every day,” said Teleski, a junior majoring in government.
Telerski said the posts he sees on the app are often more authentic than other social media platforms.
“I try to post as soon as I see the notice, even if I’m just sitting in bed or walking to class,” he said. “I think how much authenticity depends on the persona that each person creates on social media. If someone is trying to keep their social media presence highly polished and productive, BeReal is not an app to use.”
What if you don’t post within two minutes?
When you click on the once-a-day BeReal notification, your camera opens in the app, along with a timer with a two-minute countdown. You have to take a photo of what is in front of you before the timer runs out. Meanwhile, your rear camera takes a selfie.
The app will share both images. You can reshoot them anytime within two minutes and share with friends when you’re ready.
BeReal also allows users to take and post photos later in the day. But it will let your friends know how many hours have passed since the notification you posted. In short, it will make you lash out at your lack of spontaneity.
Why do people use it?
BeReal is already marketed on college campuses. It recruits younger users through its university ambassador program, which allows students to host events to promote the app to others.
Telerski believes the app is popular because it’s an antidote to the stress of looking perfect online.
“I’ve seen a lot of news recently about the negative mental health effects of social media on Gen Z. I don’t know if BeReal is directly trying to address this, but it’s definitely moving towards that goal,” he said.
Morgan Nott, 26, who runs a tea shop in Reno, is new to the app. She started using it last week at the suggestion of a friend. Knott says she finds it refreshing to see other people’s lives in a way that isn’t airbrushed and idealized.
“It’s the authenticity of it that makes it so appealing. Users aren’t as glorified or fake as some people portray themselves on other platforms,” she said. “It’s something different.”
In a statement, BeReal said its goal was to create “an alternative to an addictive social network” focused on building influence.
“BeReal is your chance to show your friends who you really are,” the company said. “BeReal won’t make you famous, if you want to be an influencer, you can stay on TikTok and Instagram.”
Are BeReal’s posts really that real?
The app doesn’t give you much time to put on makeup or set up your surroundings before you take and post your photos.
But some users may still try to curate their lives on the app.
“On BeReal, it’s possible to have the same potential for artificiality as people do on other platforms,” Telerski said. Some people may ignore notifications to post at a certain time and wait until they’re dressed up to go out to dinner with friends, he said.
“It’s not in the spirit of BeReal, it’s totally against the goal,” he said. “BeReal should be filled with pictures of (people) walking, doing homework and sitting in bed watching Netflix.”
The young people CNN spoke to have no plans to abandon Instagram, TikTok and other social media apps.
Nott said she plans to continue to let her guard down on BeReal and to continue posting on other social media platforms.
Regardless of the platform, Telerski said, he tries to maintain a level of authenticity on social media. Authenticity is determined by a person, not an application, he said.
“For those who think we need a new social media app to be truly authentic, maybe we should see it as a sign of being more authentic in our existing social media presence,” he said.
“Think about what the original purpose of social media was – to really connect your life through family and friends. Maybe we should get back to that.”
