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BeReal

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BeReal
Original author(s)Alexis Barreyat
Initial release2020
PlatformiOS, Android[1]
Websitehttps://bereal.com

BeReal is a French social media app released in 2020.[2] It was developed by Alexis Barreyat, gaining popularity primarily with Gen Z in early 2022.

Its main feature is a daily notification that encourages users to share a photo of themselves and their immediate surroundings given a randomly selected two-minute window every day. Despite becoming popular on Tiktok, critics noted its emphasis on authenticity, which some felt crossed the line into mundanity.

History

The app was founded by Kévin Perreau, Alexis Barreyat and Stefan Bethlen. The app was developed by Alexis Barreyat,[2] a former employee of GoPro,[3] and gained popularity with Gen Z in early 2022.[2][4] It spread widely first on college campuses, partially due to a paid ambassador program.[3][5] By April, it had been downloaded over 6.8 million times, with the majority of the downloads coming in 2022.[1] BeReal received a $30 million funding round from Andreessen Horowitz.[3] As of May 2022 the app had 10.7 million global installs and the company was valued at $600 million.[6]

Features

Once per day, BeReal notifies all users that a two-minute window to post a photo is open, and asks users to share an image from whatever they are doing at that moment. The given window varies from day to day. If a user posts their daily image later than the two-minute window, other users are notified of the fact. Users may not post more than one photo per day.[7][8] Because of its daily cycle of engagement, it has been compared to Wordle, which gained popularity earlier in 2022.[1][9]

BeReal has been described as designed to compete with Instagram, while simultaneously de-emphasizing social media addiction and overuse.[2][8] The app does not allow any photo filters or other editing, and has no advertising or follower counts.[1]

Reception

Jason Koebler, a writer for Vice, wrote that in contrast to Instagram, which presents an unattainable view of people's lives, BeReal instead "makes everyone look extremely boring."[10] Niklas Myhr, a professor of social media at Chapman University, argued that depth of engagement may determine whether the app is a passing trend or has "staying power."[1] Kelsey Weekman, a reporter for BuzzFeed News, noted that the app's unwillingness to "glamorize the banality of life" made it feel "humbling", despite its emphasis on authenticity.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Brown, Dalvin; James, Cordilla (2022-04-20). "Why BeReal, a Social-Media App With No Photo Filters, Is Attracting Gen Z". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on 2022-04-20. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
  2. ^ a b c d Davis, Wynne (2022-04-16). "BeReal is Gen Z's new favorite social media app. Here's how it works". NPR. Archived from the original on 2022-04-16. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  3. ^ a b c Goggin, Ben (21 April 2022). "What is BeReal? The new 'authentic' app taking hold across college campuses". NBC News. Archived from the original on 2022-04-21. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
  4. ^ Fischer, Sara (2022-04-11). "Gen Z's new favorite app is growing like crazy". Axios. Archived from the original on 2022-04-12. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  5. ^ Karimi, Faith (21 April 2022). "This social app prohibits edited photos to encourage users to be more authentic. It's growing fast". CNN. Archived from the original on 2022-04-21. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
  6. ^ Bursztynsky, Jessica (2022-05-30). "BeReal is the latest buzzy social media app trying to go mainstream. Here's how it works". CNBC. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  7. ^ Rogers, Reece. "BeReal Basics: How to Use the 'Unfiltered' Social Media App". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on 2022-04-16. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  8. ^ a b Mamona, Sheilla (2022-04-14). "The BeReal App Could End Your Obsession With Social Media Perfection". Teen Vogue. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on 2022-04-13. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  9. ^ a b Weekman, Kelsey. "BeReal Made Me Realize All My Friends Are Hanging Out Without Me". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on 2022-04-21. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
  10. ^ Koebler, Jason (11 April 2022). "BeReal Isn't Real and Makes Everyone Look Extremely Boring". www.vice.com. Archived from the original on 2022-04-16. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
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