The Rise of BeReal

Take off the filters. Share how you look in the moment. Be in the moment and most importantly, Be Real. BeReal’s message is the key to its success as it eliminates many extra elements associated with the most popular social media apps. When we go on social media apps, filters are almost always included with the camera feature. BeReal, on the other hand, compels users to take photos without the use of filters to encourage authenticity and display their real selves.

Along with its unique message, there is a motley of specialties in BeReal. Users are able to take pictures from both cameras, allowing the post to show both a selfie and an actual picture. Each time a user wants to take a BeReal, a timer starts counting down from two minutes, pressuring users to be spontaneous and quick. Additionally posting your BeReal is a requirement to view your friends’ BeReals, which encourages users to do so in order to “catch up with what their friends are doing.” Unlike other social media platforms like Instagram and Tiktok, BeReal only allows one post and one deletion per day. BeReal began gaining traction around the beginning of 2022, and as of right now, its popularity is still growing. "BeReal is," the company states, "a candid and fun place for people to share their lives with friends. 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."

However, this app did not become viral overnight. Originally released in 2020, the app gained some popularity in April 2022 after a paid ambassador program began on college campuses. As one user said, “I heard about BeReal through TikTok ads.”

Another long-time user of BeReal comments, “BeReal is my LIFE, I post on it everyday and I want to know what people do in their life.” This user also commented on the sudden popularity of BeReal, stating, “I see a lot more people on my feed now.”

As for our own experiences, BeReal has definitely played a role in our lives as BASIS students. From taking our own BeReals to reacting to our friends’ BeReals to being in our friends’ BeReals, the app has slowly become integrated into our daily lives. BeReal is effective not only in attracting new users like us, but also in portraying each and everyone of us in a fresh and realistic way.