One of the most-discussed apps this year is BeReal, a social media app where users post unfiltered photos of themselves once a day. Initially, BeReal was developed to encourage authenticity in social media contrary to edited pictures, which is a common practice with apps like Instagram. BeReal’s popularity has risen exponentially since the beginning of 2022, and now, people everywhere are accustomed to this app. In the App Store’s list of most downloaded social media apps, BeReal is ranked fourth, behind only Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest. 

The main objective of this app is for users to post once a day in a time span of two minutes. The app notifies its users during a random time each day and gives them two minutes to post an unfiltered photo of whatever they are doing at the moment. There is no time for people to fix hair or lighting, so it truly is set to be “real.” Moreover, this photo is not just a simple picture; the app uses both the phone’s front and back cameras, so that other users get a view of the person as well as where they are. These photos can have a fun, creative caption, like Instagram, and are only visible to people who are added as friends, similar to Snapchat. Additionally, another aspect of this app is the ability to react to other people’s BeReals with another photo of a specific facial expression. 

However, contradictory to BeReal’s intention of making social media more realistic, many people wait until they look as good as possible or until they are with their friends, so they do not post in the two minutes provided. Therefore, a handful of users are not actually “real” on the app, disregarding BeReal’s point.

BeReal contradicts the claim that social media creates unrealistic standards and is addicting, stating, “We want to make people feel good about themselves and their lives. We want an alternative to addictive social networks fueling social comparison and portraying life with the goal of amassing influence.” Ultimately, they are helping people portray their authentic selves. Clearly, BeReal is making a positive impact on the utilization of social media.