It’s one of life’s cruellest truths that if you nip to the supermarket in pyjamas with your hair slicked back in an Olaplex bun, you’ll almost certainly bump into your ex-boyfriend, your school bully, and your least favourite colleague.
Now, imagine having to live on edge that people you know might see you in full goblin mode without even having to leave the house: this is essentially the premise for the internet’s new favourite app - BeReal.
Unlike Instagram, TikTok or Snapchat, BeReal encourages spontaneity by giving users a two-minute window to share a photo with their friends. No warning, no filters and no followers: ‘BeReal won’t make you famous,’ the messaging bluntly says. ‘If you want to become an influencer you can stay on TikTok or Instagram.’
While it’s true that irresponsible editing and unrealistic filters have been linked to serious body image issues among social media users across numerous platforms, we’re not convinced that having the daily pressure to post impromptu selfies is going to balance the books— there’s always going to be that one friend that woke up with an effortless glow.
But just in case the electronic equivalent of everyone you know knocking on your door unannounced is for you, here are the finer details of what BeReal is all about...
What is BeReal?
Every day BeReal gives users 120 seconds to share a photo with their friends. The app takes two photos at once, one with the front camera and one with the back lens, and users can comment or react to each other’s pics with ‘RealMojis’ - which are basically a personalised selfie version of normal emojis.
What time is BeReal today?
BeReal changes the time that users need to take a photo every single day. So, there’s really no predicting exactly when you’ll get the notification. Basically, you need to be ready for action all day every day from dawn till dusk. You can only delete your photo of the day once, so think carefully before posting.
Does BeReal know if you take more than one picture per day?
Don’t think you can outsmart the app by taking multiple photos within the two-minute slot. Your friends will be told exactly how many attempts you’ve had in the 120 second window so it might be better to just cut your losses and post the selfie of you looking like a thumb. We’ve all been there.
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