BeReal and Its Influence on Social Media
BeReal and Its Influence on Social Media
For those who are unaware of the hottest new app on the social market, BeReal is a time sensitive, non-filtered, notification-only social media app.
Simply put, the app sends you one notification every day. The time of day varies, and you never know when you're going to get the notification. When you do, you have 2 minutes to snap a selfie and a back camera pic to show your friends what you're up to at that moment. You do have the ability to post your picture after the 2 minute mark, however your friends will be notified that you posted late, or even if and how many times that you re-took your BeReal.
With all the hype surrounding this new app, other well known Social platforms are noticeably scrambling to keep up. Here’s a breakdown of how those other platforms are spinning their wheels to stay relevant.
BeReal vs Instagram
In true Instagram fashion, word on the street quickly spread that they were working on a feature to copy BeReal’s unfiltered persona.
Instagram confirmed to TIME that it’s internally prototyping a new “Candid Challenges” feature that will prompt users to capture and share a photo of their surroundings during a different two-minute window each day. Meta did not say when the feature would be released, if at all.
BeReal vs Snapchat
Our second contestant trying to keep up with the rise in authenticity is none other than Snapchat. Say hello to the new ‘Dual’ recording option.
As outlined by Snapchat:
“With Dual Camera, Snapchatters can create content using their front and back-facing cameras simultaneously.”
Although Snapchat has always tried its best to push more creative trends, it is now seen to be copying BeReal and Instagram's new Candid Feature with Dual Recording.
Snapchat’s plan is to encourage users to participate and create ongoing video trends in the app and share with friends, which sounds a lot like TikTok.
However, it seems to be putting its own twist on the bandwagon by giving users the choice of several dual output formats, including vertical, horizontal, picture-in-picture, and cut-out.
BeReal vs TikTok
Lastly, a surprise copy cat came into the BeReal wanna-be circle last week: the latest account claims, “TikTok has announced a new feature called ‘TikTok Now’, which will prompt users to share a selfie, using the front and back camera, at a random time each day.”
As explained by TikTok itself:
“Making possible deeper connection and entertainment in a fun format, TikTok Now invites you and your friends to capture what you’re doing in the moment using your device’s front and back camera. You’ll receive a daily prompt to capture a 10-second video or a static photo to easily share what you’re up to.”
The feature is being given a new tab in the app, and even a new, separate app in some regions outside the US.
TikTok is notoriously known for showing the best content across the app regardless of personal friendships or not, which makes this addition especially different.
BeReal Isn’t The First or Last Copycat Trend
Overall, regardless of your opinion on any of the platforms, copying and keeping up with trends is something that will continue across all of them. Each platform’s aim is to keep you within their app without straying off into another, and by re-creating the latest trending themes, they can achieve that.
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