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Founded in 2020 by French developers Alexis and Kévin, BeReal was created amid the pandemic with the intent of breaking away from the curated essence of social media. The app’s concept was straightforward yet innovative: users receive a daily notification prompting them to “Be Real,” giving them just two minutes to capture a photo combining front and back cameras—an approach aimed at showcasing authenticity.
Initially, the app struggled to find its footing. However, by 2022, it experienced explosive growth—gaining a phenomenal user base of 20 million daily active users by October of that year. With an impressive demographic skewing towards users under 25, it thrived on Gen Z’s disillusionment with polished highlights on platforms like Instagram.