BeReal is a French photo-sharing social media platform developed in 2019 by Alexis Barreyat and Kevin Perreau and released in 2020. Despite its release in 2020, the app started to trend in early 2021 and is currently one of the top apps. Based on the data released by Social Media Today, the app has been downloaded 315% more in 2022 than earlier. It is ranked fourth in the list of most downloaded apps on social media like Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest. As of August 2022, the application has daily active users of over 10 million and monthly users of over 21.6 million. BeReal app focuses on showing the real you to the world without filters.
What is BeReal?
BeReal is a social media app where you post unfiltered photos once a day. The app’s primary focus is to make people stay natural and authentic. It encourages you to share your real moments without filtering. BeReal combines the candid and accessible experiences of its competitors like Instagram and TikTok in sharing and posting the user’s snapshots and real moments without filters and edits.
How BeReal works?
Like any other app, BeReal has user-friendly features and allows users around the globe to access and share what they do in real-time. The BeReal app enables users to share their shots every day. The app has a two-minute window during which the users can post what they are doing without any filters or edits. It sends notifications to all users each day at a random time.
Notably, the app shares one’s photo using both front and back cameras to capture real-time moments and images. So, it’s your selfie, and the foreground clicked at that moment. Also, the app does not come with photo editing features. The two-minute window at a random time is the way it is to capture random shots, with no planning, adjustments, or content batching. The users can retake their photos multiple times, but the app will reflect the number of takes to your friends.
Similarly, if you miss the two-minute window, you can still post your content or images; but it will be displayed as “posted late.” Once the photos are posted, you can check your friend’s posts and pictures. Interestingly, only when you post or share your images and content can you see the posts of others. Unlike other social media apps, you cannot just “like” a post and move on. To engage with a post, you must take a selfie with an emoji reaction or write a comment. Interested to learn more? Go on and download the app yourself to know more.
What is the point of BeReal?
The BeReal app is a photo-sharing app, yet it differs from its competitors by asking users to capture their moments and shots with no filters. The app intends to encourage people to be natural with no filters and share what they are with their friends. The app’s primary focus is what they say to its users,” Your Friends for Real.”
How do you get started on BeReal?
Below are simple steps to get started on BeReal:
Step 1
Firstly, create your account. To do that, download the app and enter your full name, phone number, birthday, and user name. The BeReal app is available on both Android and iOS.
Step 2
Once the account is created, log in with your username and password. You can sync your contacts and find friends on the app.
Step 3
Be ready to take a selfie right after you create an account. Click on the notification BeReal sends and take your first no-filter shot.
Step 4
While sharing the photo, you can add a caption to it. You can also choose to share your picture with your friends or everyone.
Step 5
It doesn’t stop there. You can start exploring by browsing others’ photos in the Discovery section. Then, you can react to the pictures with RealMoji, i.e., your selfie using the emojis in the bottom left.
Features of BeReal
The BeReal app has unique and exciting features that make it different from similar social media platforms.
RealMojis
Instead of emojis to react, the app has an exciting feature called RealMoji. The users can respond to the posts with their selfies using the emoji. One can activate the RealMojis by tapping anywhere in the app or clicking the emoji button. Then, one can select any reaction and use it with their selfie. However, the users cannot react to their posts and send responses only to others’ posts and photos.
Memories
The app removes the older post once a new BeReal moment is captured. To view the older posts, the user has to go to the memories. You can access this option from the profile page. Memories are visible only to the user and cannot be shared outside the app. However, one can share the photo by clicking on it individually.
Dual Camera Mode
Another exciting feature is that BeReal activates the front and back cameras while taking a photo. The user can take a selfie along with their surroundings. One can retake as many times as needed but has to finish before the 2-minute window closes.
Zero Followers
Like other social media apps, there are no followers in BeReal. There can be any number of friends who need to post pictures to view your posts. The app does not encourage followers and influencers like Instagram or Tiktok.
Random notification
BeReal’s unique feature is its random notification at any time of the day. Users must finish the two-minute timeframe to upload their pictures and create the most creative content.
Discovery
Discovery is an essential feature of the BeReal app. This feature allows users to see publicly shared posts. Anyone can choose their photos to be public or viewed only by friends. It is an exciting tab to get started if you want to meet new people on social media.
What is the BeReal trend?
BeReal is the current hot trend in social media that has multiplied in popularity in 2022. The app has many unique features that differ from other social media platforms. For example, it has a striking concept of making users in one time zone upload their real-time pictures without filters the minute the notification pops up.
What are BeReal notifications?
BeReal notifications are the app’s main feature that keeps the users on the game.
- BeReal sends notifications every day at random times. No one knows the notification time in advance as it differs and is chosen randomly. The user can manage the time of notification by selecting the right BeReal time frame called the BeReal time zone.
- BeReal notifications are random and are not chosen in advance.
- The notifications are sent to all users simultaneously in each BeReal zone.
- It can be predicted by daily users if the notifications and the history are observed closely.
- However, the notification pops up suddenly without prior notice. You have to wait for it and share the real moment once notified.
- The users naturally live in different time zones and won’t receive notifications simultaneously at the same time. But users receive notifications simultaneously in the BeReal time zones.
How Is BeReal Changing Social Media?
BeReal is now the new favorite spot-on social media for Gen – Z. the present young crowd prefer more natural and authentic apps than other social media platforms consumed by influencers and manipulated content. In addition, most social media platforms focus on advertisements and commercial gains. As a result, consumers have become wary of seeing products and ads all the time. BeReal comes to the rescue.
BeReal does not allow advertisements and commercial usage of the app. In addition, it encourages only posts without filters and has a zero-followers feature. Also, BeReal focuses on what we are behind the selfies and beyond the filters.
Why does Gen Z like being real?
Social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram stormed into our lives in the past decade and brought significant change. But these social media platforms brought in the pressure of showing to the world that it doesn’t exist. As a result, people are forced to share fake content, photos with filters that look more than perfect, and manipulated stories of their lives. Also, influencer marketing has reduced the authenticity of the products with their less authentic promotions.
Gladly, this age youth prefers to be real with no fake filters. BeReal app has no filters or edit features while posting an image and thus is less toxic, artificial, or unnatural. Of course, there are always doubts and questions about its authenticity and privacy policy, yet it is nice to be just ourselves and natural for a change.
Is BeReal Authentic?
Maybe. The app is speculated for its authenticity as people wait to post until they get to do something interesting after they get the push notification. Only some people can post at that specific two-minute timeframe as the messages are at random times. In addition, BeReal at work has become a whole topic for conversation. People capture the moments and photos of what they do in their workplace, which may breach their company’s confidentiality. Even capturing any colleague’s mail address or data will be subject to data breaches and breaking the law.
Cons of BeReal
All being said about the BeReal app, let’s see its issues.
- The BeReal app, too, comes with bugs and glitches, which is a frustrating experience for any user on social media.
- There are instances where some users haven’t received notifications.
- Users can find the app appealing when their friends are on board. Otherwise, they look at the strangers’ photos and eventually lose interest.
- Privacy is compromised as the app focuses on real-time moments and unfiltered photos.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the BeReal app founded?
The BeReal app was founded in December 2019.
Is the BeReal app private and safe?
The post on the app is shared only with friends. However, the posts can be made public on the Discover Timeline.
How do I sign up on BeReal?
The app is available on the Apple Store and Google Play Store.
Who invented BeReal?
Alexis Barreyat and Kevin Perreau invented the BeReal app in France.
Who owns the BeReal app?
The BeReal app is owned by its current founders.
How much money did the BeReal appraise?
The app raised $60 million earlier this year with a valuation of $587 million.
When did the BeReal app reach no.1 on the App Store?
On July 25th, 2022, the BeReal app reached the no.1 spot on the iOS App Store and remained there until September 14th, 2022.
Who are the competitors of BeReal?
The present top competitors of BeReal are:
- TikTok
- Gas
Can the companies display ads on BeReal?
No, the companies cannot advertise on the app. The terms and conditions and privacy policy clearly explain that the app is not used for commercial and promotional purposes.
Can the notification time be changed on BeReal?
No, you cannot change the BeReal notification time. This is because the users cannot change the time by themselves and must be real on the app.
What happens if you are late on BeReal?
NOTHING. All that happens is that you miss seeing the friend’s BeReal moments from the missed two-minute window, and your post will display a late post.
Is the BeReal app safe?
The app has gained popularity, yet it has significant privacy issues and doubts about its authenticity. However, it’s up to the user’s discretion to use any applications wisely.
Final Thoughts
BeReal is a social media app founded in December 2019 and released in 2020. The application focuses on real content and users’ photos that are not filtered or curated. While the app’s competitors, like TikTok and Instagram, allow a more filtered platform, BeReal asks the users to post real-time pictures and content without filters. As a result, the app has gained massive popularity across Europe and the United States. However, the app’s privacy policies, too, are unfiltered and possess risks.
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