⚠️ Time to BeReal ⚠️
September 7, 2022
It’s that time of day and a notification buzzes. “2 min left to capture a BeReal and see what your friends are up to!”
BeReal is the internet’s newest sensation, and as the name suggests, it’s all about being real. We’ve all seen pictures on Instagram of influencers and friends on fancy trips or at parties having the time of their lives. Even then, many photos are full of filters and edits, hiding pimples, changing body shapes, or even editing people out of pictures. So what’s really real?
The way the app works is that at a random time every day, the notification to BeReal is sent to users. They then have two minutes to capture a photo of what they’re doing at the moment. The BeReal captures both the front and back camera, showing someone’s face without edits and what they’re doing without staging a photo. Once the two minutes have passed, users still have an opportunity to post late, but the concept is to capture what’s happening at the moment rather than only the fun things that are usually posted on social media. Once users have posted, they can react and comment on other BeReals posted by friends.
In the world of social media, such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, why do we need BeReal? While some people may say that BeReal is another unnecessary social media app, I think it’s a fun idea that highlights the authenticity that isn’t present on other apps. Most of the content online is edited, which leads to body image issues and a decrease in self-confidence because of filters or retouching. Even socially, many people begin to feel left out when people only post the fun things they do on vacations or in large groups.
What makes BeReal different is that people can see the more serious or regular daily life activities that an average person experiences, like sitting for hours and doing homework, watching a show on the couch, or just normal, even boring, activities. It’s time to BeReal.
