BeReal has really taken off with its popularity. Over the summer, we were introduced to an app that captures your “real” moments. Snapping a photo using both the front and back cameras, it’s supposed to show your friends what you are actually up to, hence the name “BeReal.” 

BeReal was founded by Alexis Barreyat back in December 2019, and it has proven to be successful with the app having the most US IOS downloads towards mid-August, according to Emily Bary with Market Watch.

Each day, everyone using the app receives a notification stating that “It’s time to BeReal!” You get approximately two minutes to upload your post, then you can scroll to see what your other friends are doing. It’s just that simple. 

The majority of the time, your friends are doing their day-to-day normal activities, such as eating, watching a movie, studying, etc. However, it all really depends on the  convenience of the notification. Sometimes, your real moment can be captured while you’re doing fun things such as enjoying a concert or taking a vacation at the beach.

Today, especially now, it’s difficult to express your “real” self on social media. With other networks such as Instagram and Snapchat, it’s easier to be drawn to the many filters and glorified posts.

Sophie Haigney with The New York Times made a great point in her article, “BeReal captures our nostalgia for a time when social media was boring.” She stated that we are simply tired of seeing others portray themselves as perfect. With this app, it might not be entirely authentic, but it’s not any less legitimate than anything else found on the internet. It’s even in the BeReal description, “BeReal won’t make you famous.

If you want to become an influencer you can stay on TikTok and Instagram,” but for now let’s just  stick to BeReal.