“It’s time to BeReal!” BeReal, a French social media app founded in 2020 that surged in popularity among Gen Z this past year, is a ticking mental clock that keeps users in suspense as they eagerly wait for the daily notification to drop.

Every day, all users are simultaneously notified at a random time to “Be Real” by capturing a photo with their front and back camera within a two-minute window. Once a user posts their BeReal, they are granted access to view their friends’ BeReals, with the option to comment and post candid reactions.

As social media has become curated feeds of edited photos and sponsored advertisements, many users are searching for ways to revert back to the “original” social media days — attracting them to BeReal. Dubbed as “anti-Instagram”, BeReal photos must be taken using the app itself, with no option to edit or filter before posting, and there is no emphasis on engagement metrics such as views or likes. Users can view their past BeReals in a private monthly calendar, but the app timeline refreshes each day and eliminates the option to view others’ past photos.

For the most part, BeReal has lowered the barrier for users to keep in touch with their close friends. Users are able to get a glimpse into their friends’ daily lives, especially if they don’t see them often, and catch up through quick daily interactions. Personally, BeReal has been my favorite way to keep in touch with my friends in the US while I am studying abroad at KAIST — seeing my friends at familiar locations back home and receiving their candid photo reactions make me feel connected to them. BeReal also encourages healthier social media consumption, as the concept of simultaneous posting reduces mindless scrolling and the urge to constantly check the app throughout the day. 

It seems that BeReal’s intentional design to encourage users to post photos at the exact moment provides an unfiltered depiction of daily life. However, despite these efforts, some users still feel the pressure (subconsciously or not) to curate their BeReals in order to make the once-a-day notification really count. Many users have expressed that they hope that the BeReal notification drops when they are doing something eventful. Some users see the notification but choose to ignore it, delaying their post until their day gets more interesting. I’ve heard people around me sigh when the BeReal drops while we’re studying in the library; on the other hand, my friends and I have gotten excited when the BeReal conveniently dropped while we were together at dinner or watching the sunset in the Seoraksan National Park cable car. If the whole point of BeReal is to post on-time, despite how uneventful the moment may seem, why is there still the desire to share a “post-worthy” photo? 

I believe that even if BeReal promotes candid posts, many users will inevitably still try to maximize the photo’s value and fabricate a certain look about their day, whether it’s as intentional as posting a six-hour late BeReal at a concert or as little as fixing their hair or finding a prop to hold before the two-minute window closes. This may be because some users feel that their BeReal picture encapsulates their entire day to their friends’ eyes, and as a result feel pressured to share something interesting that will spark a reaction. However, I do believe that BeReal tries to combat this issue: the ability to know a friend posted late or retook their photo indicates that it was somewhat posed. This encourages users to post their first take and may reduce some feelings of comparison, as users can find comfort that others live just as mundane lives as themselves.

BeReal has become the daily highlight for many users — a couple minutes out of their hectic day where they can touch base with their friends around the world. It’s difficult to create a social network that is 100% authentic, especially when the success of social media is inevitably dependent on engagement metrics. For that reason, I don’t foresee BeReal enforcing measures such as not being able to post late or only allowing one take. Nevertheless, I do believe that BeReal has become an impactful way for those looking to engage with their close friends and family, especially for Gen Z as their paths diverge due to their education and careers.