You have two minutes to read this article. Hurry up.

This would definitely be the case if BeReal were in charge of the Howl.

After many years living under the social media dominance of Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok, a new app called BeReal hit the IOS and Samsung app worlds. After its inception in 2019, BeReal has increasingly grown in popularity on Day Creek’s campus and beyond.

The French social media app was created by co-founders Alexis Barreyat, a former media production employee of GoPro, and Kevin Perreau, a digital project manager for the French IT company Opteamis.

BeReal gained most of its popularity mid-2022 after spreading throughout US college campuses, similar to what Facebook accomplished in 2004. The BeReal app is currently worth about $600 million and is rapidly increasing in profit and fame.

Their intent is simple: to take a picture of the users in their immediate experience.

“[BeReal is] different because you’re being real to your friends and family. It’s two cameras, from the back and the front, and it has a timer, so you have to hurry up,” said 6th grader Miranda S.

BeReal is unique in that it sends a notification at a random time of the day. It gives users a two-minute deadline to post a picture of themselves in their instant surroundings.

“[I use BeReal] because it is a way to connect with my friends and see what they are doing at that time,” Abigail A. said.

Some people post beyond the two-minute limitation, which leads to some criticism regarding the authenticity of the app.

“[My least favorite thing about BeReal is] when it goes off really late at night, I’m already in bed, and I’m done with the day, and I have to take it in the morning. Sometimes when I’m late, it bothers me a little,” said Mackenzie R.

While detractors denounce the app for its lack of authenticity, it hasn’t stopped the app’s growth in popularity.

“[BeReal is better than Instagram because] you can see what your friends are doing at that exact time. It’s cool,” said 7th grader Makayla P.

According to techcrunch.com, the app has over fifty-three million installs all over the world, a growth of 2,254% since January 2022. Over 10 million people use BeReal each day.

In an effort to limit those who’d join to lurk, bully, or criticize, the app also restricts verbal public comment, as those who respond are limited to Realmojis to show any type of response. Among friends, however, users are permitted to comment. Also, users can’t see a friend’s posts unless they post themselves.

“You get a BeReal every day, and you’re not able to see anyone else’s BeReal until you take yours,” Lily S. said.

In response to BeReal’s success, Instagram has added a ‘Dual Camera’ feature of its own. In August 2022, Instagram also featured an IG Candid Challenge. Not wanting to be left behind, TikTok also added a new aspect to its product called Now. Both changes have something in common: they prompt users to post within a certain time frame, almost indistinguishable from BeReal’s popular format.

Each of these apps consistently races one another in an attempt to stay ahead of the curve, working hard to avoid the pitfalls that relegated MySpace to the dustbin of social media history. The solution is simple: each product has to entertain its distinct audience, which BeReal seems to be doing quite well.

“It’s a good way to see what your friends are doing without being full on in their business. It’s fun!” said 8th grader Alyssa P.

This story was originally published on The Day Creek Howl on November 4, 2022.