Social media users take a two-minute break each day to document what they're doing. These are genuine, unaltered photographs of what individuals are doing at that same moment, without any cropping, fancy filters, or other forms of editing. Additionally, to ensure authenticity, a front- and backward-facing image are both captured at the same time.

BeReal, the social app founded in 2020 by Parisian Alexis Barreyat, a former GoPro employee who now serves as the CEO, went viral this year and won Apple's iPhone App of the Year award. According to TechCrunch, BeReal has over 53 million installations worldwide and a 2,254 percent increase in active monthly users since January 2022. And maybe as more evidence of its domination in pop culture, it wasn't simply parodied (or rather, praised!) on Saturday Night Live's season opener; the show's cast members frequently repost their BeReals on their open Instagram Stories.

The travel industry, which has long been known for meticulously manicured and idyllically filtered photos that don't necessarily capture the true flavour of a region, is particularly affected by the app. According to Travis Cronin, entertainment director for Us Weekly and a fan of BeReal, "Be Real is causing individuals to be more real with their travelling experiences." Since there are no filters, editing software, or lighting adjustments, it really provides a new perspective on friends' holidays.

The idea is basic. The app sends a notification with the words "Moment to BeReal" surrounded by two yellow caution signals at a different time each day. Users are reminded below that they still have "2 minutes to record your BeReal and see what your pals are up to." During that moment, users direct their camera at their current point of view as their phone simultaneously snaps a selfie and a picture of what they are seeing. The image itself is what counts most, even though there is an option to disclose their location and add a caption. Friends can choose between the two by pressing each box, but only the POV shot will be displayed in its entirety with the selfie displayed inset. They can also respond and comment using RealMojis, photographs they've taken of their own facial expressions that resemble emojis.

Users can potentially shoot new photos as the timer runs, but once it expires, friends will be informed that the post is late. Even though some claim there are no penalties for publishing late, SNL's sketch about what it dubbed "the only honest social media" perfectly emphasised the importance of social pressure: without it, "everyone knows your BeReal wasn't being real."

The photos capture a genuine moment and share that identical fragment of time with everyone else in your network because there is no time to search for the ideal background, choose the greatest angles, or perhaps even get that spinach out from between your teeth. There's also another snag: You can't view your friends' daily updates unless you upload a photo yourself. This prevents inactive lurking.

The fundamental tenet of BeReal is influenced by all the minor checks and balances. The business, which describes itself as a "genuine, spontaneous, and candid social network," added, "We want to help people feel good about themselves and their life." "We need an alternative to the compulsive social networks that encourage social comparison and present life in an effort to gain influence. We are designed for anyone who wishes to establish genuine, impromptu, and high-quality connections with their friends and family."

Unlike other social media platforms, where the aim is frequently to attract attention and establish connections with influencers and celebrities, the purpose here is to limit those likes. The good thing about BeReal, according to Cronin, is that you have to approve friend requests before viewing their feeds, so it effectively keeps your circle narrow. I am aware that celebrities as well as students and members of Generation Z enjoy utilising it.

The app was initially downloaded by Alice Preece, a 22-year-old public relations expert in London, six months ago after she heard about it via her boyfriend's younger sister, who was still in high school. She added that all of her coworkers in their 20s were also using BeReal, adding, "I then started seeing that more and more of my friends were getting on BeReal over the summer." She "noticed hardly nobody had heard of the app" though when she changed jobs and became one of the only Gen Zers at her firm.

She thinks that everyone started using it in Europe, where it appeared to gain popularity before it did in the United States, because they "did not want to miss the bandwagon." Many individuals in my age group first opposed TikTok, but after we started using it, we fell in love with it, Preece said. Therefore, I believe that many of us joined BeReal because we were afraid of missing out and not being "cool." Indeed, the company said its app's initial growth was among college students, but it is now multigenerational, even adding "families use BeReal together."

There are still ways to create the ideal BeReal post despite its focus on the unfiltered moments. To gaze at something dynamic in the front-facing photo, Cronin advised, "you can even just swap it around to different rooms in your house." "When the notice appears when I'm at home, I sometimes consider BeReal to be a small show-and-tell of your daily life. Then, for the back camera, I try to switch up angles and poses—taking the picture from way higher up one day, throwing a peace sign, making an unhappy face, just to give my day-to-day pics some variety."

How BeReal's Unfiltered Posts Are Changing the Face of Travel Social Mediahttps://t.co/X4rnlZ3Emf pic.twitter.com/X7B8jiKaqI

— TripSavvy (@TripSavvy) December 17, 2022

However, he noted that being on the road may be the perfect time to BeReal because there are frequently so many more alternatives for uncommon items. He added that this may also include breaching the two-minute threshold. "I think it's fine to wait to publish when you're travelling or doing something really cool later in the day. When you've worked hard to reach a stunning view, it truly shows on your face and makes for a stunning photo, which is why BeReal is so fantastic for those "top of the mountain" pictures. All of your friends being informed of your tardiness will be worthwhile."

Preece also shares a crucial piece of advice for novices. As many users start out with so many blurry images of themselves, she added, "a telltale sign of being new to the app is when you don't understand there's a delay between it shooting the front-facing camera picture and the back camera picture." But there's also a chance to make it finer at that point. "Change your pose for the picture with the back camera if you're taking a mirror selfie. Or simply turn your phone around to capture you and your pal from a different viewpoint! That's a smart advice, especially if there's nothing interesting happening off-camera and you want to liven up your BeReal a little."

Don't fight BeReal; it will tell you when you haven't been completely real.

Of course, planning a trip can sometimes be difficult, and there are times to resist the pressure from social media, especially when safety comes first. The good ol' "it can wait" philosophy of texting and driving with BeRealing and travelling kicks in at some obvious moments, whether you're going through security at an airport, behind the wheel on an epic road trip, crossing the street on an urban adventure, pedalling through the woods, sailing the seas on a high-speed boat, zooming along a zipline, watching the kids by the pool, or navigating hazardous weather. BeReal may cause accidents, especially if you are riding a bike, the firm itself advises.

Time zones can also be a problem for international travellers because they may get notifications that go off in the middle of the night when they move eastward around the world. West Asia, East Asia, Europe, and the Americas are the available time zones. However, if users want to switch, they must manually modify their option in the settings. They won't have the same two minutes as their friends back home, of course.

The company gave us a little hint, saying, "It's a secret on how the timing is determined every day, it's not random!" Despite the two-minute signal appearing to be random and going off day or night, it is not. BeReal Time Predictors, a website, started attempting to decipher the formula as a result. BeReal won't let you cheat, though you can attempt; if you succeed, come work with us, the business warned.

But when it comes down to it, BeReal supporters advise utilising the app to the fullest. Preece advised not to struggle against BeReal, saying that it will make it plain when you haven't been really genuine.