This application is getting more and more popular. Is this the end of posing and artificially creating reality on social media? Or is it just another passing fascination? BeReal - what exactly is this?
Campaigns in the late 90s heralded the Internet as a place where anyone could be themselves, an invention that would change the world for the better. Many applications promised a return to authenticity. But filters have taken over social media. Whether BeReal has a chance to change this?
What is BeReal?
BeReal is an application released in 2020, and gained its popularity in early 2022. The platform focuses on authenticity of the message and encourages users to publish photos without using filters showing everyday, ordinary moments. The possibility of publishing is every day at a different time.
Who is the creator of BeReal?
The application was created on the initiative Alexis Barreyat, a French developer and former GoPro employee. BeReal is aimed at Generation Z, but also at people who are tired of the idealized life on Instagram. Available for devices with the system iOS and Android.
How does the BeReal app work?
Wondering how the BeReal app works? Every user gets a notification once a day "time to be real". Within 2 minutes of receiving the push notification, you must take a photo and share it. Photos are deleted after 24 hours.
The application uses both the front and rear cameras, which allows you to record the user's image and their surroundings. You can only see other people's publications after sending your own photo. In addition, you can create your own RealMojis.
If we happen to miss the notification, we can post our photo with a delay. However, it is worth remembering that we will not see other people's photos until we post our own.
In the application we can also find a board called "Discovery", where we can find posts from people from all over the world. However, to see the photos on this board, you must set the photo visibility to global.
Currently, it is only available in a few languages, the default language is English. At the moment, there is no option to set the Polish language in the application. However, it is worth bearing in mind that with the growth of popularity, this may change very quickly.
Will BeReal replace Instagram?
The opinions about the application are very positive. Many people mention its advantages, sharing their opinions, for example in the App Store or Google Play. It is praised primarily for its idea. However, will BeReal replace Instagram? It is difficult to judge, because many people are tired of filters and creating an ideal world on Instagram, but still cannot imagine life without it. However, it is worth paying attention to the statistics. According to data from August 2022 The BeReal application already has about 10 million active users. For comparison, a year ago it was only 10,000.
How to create an account on BeReal?
Setting up an account on the BeReal app is trivially easy, just provide your name or nickname, date of birth, and phone number. Everything must be confirmed with a code sent via SMS. BeReal also asks for access to location and camera. In addition, we can import a list of our friends.
What are the benefits of the BeReal app?
So what are the benefits of using the BeReal app? I think first and foremost authenticity, in a time when social media is saturated with retouched photos and picture-perfect lives.
This is certainly a good step for the young generation to become more aware that not everything on the Internet is true, that what they see when browsing social media is often a snippet of only those "better moments", and that photos go through a series of filters and beautifying applications before they are published.
Many young people think "I want to be like her/him", and often in reality it all looks completely different. Personally, I think that this artificial creation of one's image should finally end, because it increases many problems with self-acceptance among teenagers.
BeReal has other advantages as well. Since users can only post once a day, this helps regulate the amount of time you spend, when it comes to published content.
Additionally, in BeReal there is no such thing as follower count, hashtags or other similar things that determine the level of “popularity” promoted by influencer culture such as on Instagram.
Summary
At this point, it is hard to say unequivocally how the application will develop. However, the idea itself has great potential. It is certainly an interesting diversification of social media. Using BeReal can encourage us to reflect on the image we create and how we perceive the virtual world.
The platform takes us back to the imaginations of the first internet users who dreamed of this place being real and authentic. But has this all gone too far?